


When the Sun Met the Moon: Marichat May 2019

by seasonofthegeek



Series: The Sun and the Moon AU [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Agreste Family Drama, Fluff and Angst, Marichat May, day and night au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2020-02-10 23:51:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 23,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18670930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasonofthegeek/pseuds/seasonofthegeek
Summary: Ladybug and Chat Noir are both the heroes of Paris but Ladybug can only transform in the day and Chat Noir only in the night so they’ve never met each other (and their kwamis are a part of the jewelry for now, at least).  There isn’t a villain as of yet in this AU so they mostly handle helping out the police and keeping watch over the city in general.Written for Marichat May 2019





	1. No Powers

“I just think it’s weird that you aren’t even curious. Can you hand me that hair tie?” Alya asked, pointing with one hand while she held a ponytail of her hair in the other.

Marinette plucked the black band from the clutter of their bathroom counter and gave it to her roommate. “I never said I wasn’t curious.”

“You should just flag Chat Noir down one night and be like ‘Hey, what’s up? I’m Ladybug. We should hang out.’ I bet he would totally be down for it. He seems cool.”

“Yeah, that sounds like something I would say,” she snorted. “Why would he even believe me?”

“Because you just radiate badassness.”

“That’s not a thing and I’m pretty sure if it was, it’s not something I give off as Marinette.”

Alya gave her an appraising nod. “Yeah, maybe not so much usually, but sometimes badass Marinette peeks through,” she teased. “Anyway, you should meet him and then you should be like, by the way, my roommate runs a blog about us and you should let her interview you.”

“Ah, and the truth comes out.” Marinette picked up her toothbrush and reached for the toothpaste. “This is less about Ladybug meeting Chat Noir and more about Alya meeting Chat Noir.”

“I’m offended right now. Wounded even.”

“Mmhmm.” Marinette watched her reflection as she brushed her teeth. “You know,” she mumbled through a mouthful of toothpaste, “it isn’t like he seems to be looking for me either.”

“How do you know? He could’ve gone up to hundreds of women at this point and asked them if they’re Ladybug,” Alya grinned.

Marinette spit into the sink and wiped her mouth. “In that case, it’s probably a good thing he hasn’t found me then.”  
_______________________________

Marinette knew she should’ve never gotten out of bed on this particular Wednesday. She overslept her alarm and as she was rushing to work, she had to transform and stop someone from robbing a convenience store she was passing. By the time the police arrived to arrest the would-be thief, she’d already missed the morning rush at the bakery and although her parents kindly accepted her apology, she still felt crummy. Her being late meant her father missed a doctor’s appointment that she’d pushed him to schedule in the first place.

“We know you have other,” Sabine cut her eyes around the bakery and lowered her voice, “responsibilities, sweetie. We aren’t upset.”

“Yeah, but I still hate letting you guys down.”

“Your father can reschedule his appointment.”

“I know, but...” Marinette sighed. “Thanks, Mom.”

Sabine pulled her daughter into a hug. “We’re both so proud of you. Don’t worry about us.”

The rest of her shift at the bakery had been filled with demanding customers and a mishap with a dozen cream-filled pastries that left her feeling gross and exhausted by the time she’d finished up closing duties and bid her parents goodbye before beginning her trek back home. While it would’ve been easier most days if she was still living with her parents, it was nice to get away from the bakery sometimes.

The sun had almost completely set when she felt the one last pulse of power in her earrings and then they were still against her skin. It’d been an odd sensation to adjust to at first. During the daylight hours, the earrings gently vibrated against her lobes as a constant reminder that she could be transformed into Ladybug and be doing other things. Unfortunately her life didn’t stop just because she’d been chosen as one of the city’s protectors. She often wondered how much easier it must be for Chat Noir who only had to worry about missing things at night. 

“You look like you’ve had a rough day.”

Marinette blinked up in surprise to see Chat Noir perched on a brick column near the gate of the park. “I’m sorry?”

“You look like someone who could use some cheering up.” He grinned and casually dropping down as if it wouldn’t have been an injury-inducing fall for the average person. “Would you like an escort home?”

“What makes you think I’m going home?”

He looked panicked for a quick moment before his charming smile slid back into place. “Well, you do have frosting in your hair and all over your clothes but I suppose it could be a fashion statement.”

Marinette couldn’t help but laugh. “Not a fashion statement. I work at the bakery and it was a bit of a day.” She pointed back towards the building.

“Ah, that makes sense then. I don’t think I could work at a bakery. I’d eat everything before it could be sold.”

“Well, when your clothes and your hair and your skin start smelling like everything you sell, it’s surprisingly good at curbing your appetite for the stuff.”

“If you say so.” He shifted his weight as he looked down the street. “So did you want me to walk you home?”

“Don’t you have some hero stuff to do somewhere else in the city?”

“Seems to be a quiet night.”

“The night just started.”

He ducked his head shyly. “Wishful thinking then, maybe.”

“I think I’ll be fine. Thanks though.” Marinette began on her way again with a small wave but could feel his eyes on her until she turned the corner. She half expected him to follow her but after another block, she decided he must’ve taken her word for it when she said she was fine. She felt relieved and almost disappointed, but for a first meeting with her heroic counterpart, it had been a nice one at least. Maybe her Wednesday hadn’t been completely terrible after all.


	2. Greek

“Yeah, they even gave us some of those stuffed leaf things and some keftedakia for free.” Marinette tried to shift the delivery bags without dropping the phone wedged between her ear and shoulder. “The delivery guy explained that we’re such good customers and they like giving us free stuff now.”

Alya sucked in a breath through her teeth over the line. “We should probably learn to cook, huh?”

“Probably. I just wish they would deliver to the apartment so I wouldn’t have to get it at the bakery and bring it home.”

“Why didn’t you just pick it up at the restaurant?”

“Because everytime I go in there, Tony wants to set me up with his grandson,” she sighed. “It’s awkward.”

“Do you want me to come meet you and help carry?” Alya offered. “It’s getting dark.”

“Nah, I’ve got it. I’m going to hang up though. Be home soon.” Marinette let the phone drop and caught it in one of the delivery bags as she kept walking. She had a feeling there was more free stuff than the delivery guy had mentioned. Tony was trying to butter her up.

“No frosting today but what smells like a whole lot of...” Chat Noir trailed off and sniffed the air. “Is that Greek from the place two blocks down?”

Marinette looked up to see the hero perched on the same column he’d been on when they’d first met a few days before. “Do you just appear right there as soon as the sun goes down?”

“It’s my spawn spot,” he grinned. He lept down and fell into step beside her. “That sure looks like an awful lot of food. Having a party?”

“No, but my roommate and I are very good at eating.”

“A woman after my own heart.”

Marinette laughed. “Good to know.”

“Do you want some help with those bags?”

“After hearing you talk, I’m nervous you might run off with one of them,” she teased.

He put a hand to his chest dramatically. “My lady, I will have you know I am a hero and would never stoop so low as to steal food from a hungry citizen.”

It was silly but hearing the way he said “lady” had Marinette feeling suddenly shy as if somehow he knew. “Good to know you have a moral code,” she managed to say, hoping she wasn’t visibly blushing.

“Gotta start somewhere,” he shrugged and then sent her a wink. “So would you like help? People are going to start thinking I’m a pretty bad hero walking beside a lovely woman laden with so many bags.”

“Can’t have that. Thank you.” Marinette handed him two of the plastic bags and he gave her a satisfied nod. 

“You know, you still haven’t told me your name.”

She glanced up at him. “You still haven’t asked for it.” She was pleased to see a blush leak out from beneath the black mask. 

“I guess I haven’t and now I feel stupid,” he admitted, pausing on the sidewalk and shuffling the bags so he could offer his hand. “Hi. I’m Chat Noir. What’s your name?”

“Hi, Chat Noir. I’m Marinette.” She shook his hand and they shared a small laugh before beginning to walk again. 

“See, that was only mildly awkward. At this rate, our next interaction should be on the level of lifelong friends.”

“You like to move fast, huh?”

“What can I say, I like making friends,” he grinned.

“This is me.” Marinette came to a stop in front of the stairs leading up to her building and held out her hand for the bags. “You know, once we are better friends, I’ll have to introduce you to my roommate. She’s a big Chat Noir fan.”

His eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah, she even runs a blog for you and Ladybug.”

“The Ladyblog?!” Chat Noir almost dropped the bag he was handing over and Marinette caught it by the handles.

“Yeah. I’m guessing you know it?”

“It’s my favorite blog! She has more information about Ladybug than anywhere else.”

Marinette blinked. “Oh. You like Ladybug?”

Chat Noir stepped back shyly. “Well, we’ve never actually met because you know, the whole day and night thing.” He scratched the back of his neck in an anxious gesture. “But I think she’s really awesome.”

She felt her cheeks warm and scrunched her nose to try discourage her face from giving her away. “I should get upstairs before the food gets too cold.”

“Ah, yeah, definitely.”

“Thanks for your help, Chat Noir.”

He smiled. “Anytime, Marinette.”


	3. Kittens

“The only reason I’m not evicting you is because Chat Noir said he loves my blog.” Alya tossed a crumpled napkin onto the coffee table and sat back on the couch. 

“You can’t evict me; my name’s on the lease.” Marinette leaned her head back with a sigh and rubbed her belly. “I ate too much.”

“Now you’re going to owe Tony’s grandson a date.”

“Worth it. The food is so good. Guess I’ll start looking up wedding dresses.”

“So what’s he like?”

Marinette turned her head enough to look at her roommate. “I was just joking about the wedding dresses. I haven’t even met the guy yet.”

“Not Tony’s grandson, M, Chat Noir!”

“Oh!”

Alya shook her head. “You worry me sometimes.”

“I’m going into a food coma; it can’t be helped.” She smiled as she thought of Chat Noir’s expression when he was talking about Ladybug. “He’s kinda cute.”

“I think you meant hot but go on.”

“He’s very charming. And I kinda wonder if he was waiting on me tonight.”

Alya raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?”

“Well, we talked the other night and--”

“Excuse me.”

Marinette grimaced. “Did I not tell you that? Will an exclusive video with Ladybug cover the damage?”

Alya snorted. “Sure. Okay, so you’ve now talked to him twice--” She paused and shot her friend a challenging look. “Just twice?”

“Yes, just twice.”

“Hmm. I think our friendship means less to you than I thought, but go on.”

“Ridiculously dramatic. Anyway, he seems really nice and I hope I get to talk to him again.”

“Did you tell him you’re Ladybug?”

“No.”

“Because?”

“That’s not just something I was going to blurt out in the middle of the street, Al.”

“Ah.”

“Besides, I think I might need to go see Master Fu first. I mean, we’re supposed to be like the two sides of the coin, right? What if knowing each other’s identities messes something up with the Miraculous?”

“That seems like an awfully convenient way to get out of telling him but sure, go check on it if that makes you feel better.” She held up a finger. “But please still invite him up the next time you run into him so I can talk to him. I’ve been dying to get an interview and he’s never around when I try.”

“I’ll do what I can.”  
_______________________________

“Oh, good, you’re off work.”

At the sound of Chat Noir’s voice, Marinette immediately looked up at the brick column but frowned when it was empty. She’d been trying not to spy on it through the bakery windows while she did her closing duties but she’d been hoping Chat Noir might be in that spot again. Her thoughts had been straying to him more and more the past few days and she’d been beginning to lose hope he would be back.

“I’m over here.”

Her gaze followed the voice to see Chat Noir crouched down along the fence surrounding the park. “What are you doing?”

He moved enough to show her a cardboard box filled with wiggling balls of fluff. “Oh, you know, just normal hero stuff. Completely unrelated but, uh, do you happen to know anything about kittens?”


	4. Birthday

“Why do you have a box of kittens?” Marinette knelt down beside him and reached in to run a finger along a fuzzy kitten head. The kittens began to crawl over each other trying to get to her as they let out tiny mewls.

“I found it on the other side of the park.” Chat Noir’s bottom lip poked out in a pout. “It was stuck behind one of the benches. I think someone just left them. I asked a few people in the park but no one seemed to know about them.”

“That’s awful.”

“I know.”

Marinette caught the way Chat Noir’s black ears drooped and she felt her heart swell. “Are you going to take them home with you?”

He looked up at her with panicked eyes. “i...I don’t know anything about cats.”

She blinked. “Um...”

“Wait, I mean, I know I’m, like, a Chat guy but I’m not a cat guy.”

“So you don’t like cats?”

“No! I mean, yes! I really like cats but I’ve never had any kind of pet.” He frowned down at the box. “And I don’t think starting with five is a good idea.”

“Maybe not,” she admitted. “Why don’t we take them back to my place? I think I have some friends who could give them good homes.”

His eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Sure. We need to stop and get them some kind of food though.”

“We can do that.”

“And probably a litter box.”

“Right,” he nodded. “But, um, I don’t exactly carry money in my suit.” He patted his pockets and shot her a sheepish smile.

She laughed and stood, brushing off her pants. “How about I take care of buying the stuff tonight and you can owe me?”

“Sounds like a plan.”  
___________________________

“They’re so tiny and adorable and purrrrfect.” Chat Noir held up a white and gray kitten and rubbed his cheek against its side. “I love them so much.”

Marinette smiled as two of the kittens stumbled after the ribbon she trailed along the floor while another slept in her lap. “I know. I want to keep them all.”

“You should and then I can come visit them every night.” He caught himself and quickly backtracked. “Not that I’m trying to invite myself over or anything. We’re only three quarters of the way til we get to lifelong friends level friendship so I don’t want to rush things.”

“Well, this being our third interaction and you’re sitting in my living room and playing with kittens, I’d say our friendship level is progressing pretty great.”

He grinned at her and picked up the black kitten. “Look, it’s a little me.” 

“I think you should take that one home. Maybe the white and gray one too.”

“I don’t know...”

"Are you not allowed to have pets where you live?” Marinette realized she knew absolutely nothing about the man sitting across from her. She’d invited him into her home and was sitting on her living room floor and playing with kittens with him and she didn’t know the first thing about him.

“That’s not true,” her mind argued. “You know he’s just like you, Ladybug.” She shook her head and tried to concentrate on what Chat Noir was saying.

“...not the issue. I think I’d just be a little stressed about them, that’s all. It’s a big responsibility.”

“As the hero of Paris, I think you’re pretty responsible so I’m not that worried.”

“One of the heroes,” he pointed out. “And I don’t know if I’d called myself a hero. Most nights I just make sure people get home safe and assist the police every blue moon.” He picked up the white and gray one again and held both kittens to his chest. “Do you really think I could take care of them?”

Marinette pursed her lips and tried not to melt at how adorable his worried expression was. “At this point, I think I’ve known you for a collective two hours maybe but in that short amount of time, yeah, I think you’d be able to take really good care of them.”

He beamed at her and that was the moment Marinette was sure she was done for, hook, line, and sinker. “This is kinda the best birthday ever,” he murmured, letting the kittens join their littermates once more.

“What?”

He flushed, meeting her eyes but quickly looking away. “Oh, uh, it’s my birthday so this turned out to be a nice surprise.”

“It’s your birthday and you’re just now saying something?!”

“Well, everyone has a birthday,” he shrugged. “It’s not that important.”

“Birthdays are super important! Are you telling me you didn’t celebrate at all today?”

He shrugged again, keeping his attention on the kittens. “I got a doughnut this morning instead of a muffin. Does that count?”

“Not even a little.”

“I mean, probably a little,” he argued.

“Do you like cake?”

“I love cake.”

“Good, then I’m making you a cake,” Marinette decided with a nod of her head. “You’ll just have to have your birthday tomorrow.”

“You really don’t need to do that. You don’t even know me.” His cheeks were now a dark pink beneath the black mask and Marinette liked the way it made his green cat eyes even brighter.

“But by tomorrow, we’ll be at lifelong friends level friendship, you said so yourself,” she pointed out, “so really, I owe you this.”

He laughed. “I mean, I don’t really have a lot of fight in me for this because it honestly sounds awesome.”

“Good,” she grinned. “How about tomorrow you go pick up the stuff you need for the kittens during the day and then you can come over tomorrow night and have cake and meet my roommate and then take your kittens home.”

“Sounds like a big day.”

“It does,” she agreed. “Alya’s going to be upset she decided to stay the night at her boyfriend’s so she’ll probably have a full-blown interview’s worth of questions to ask, just to warn you.”

“I think I can handle it.” He scooped up the kittens one by one and kissed or rubbed his cheek against them all before finally standing with a sigh. “I should probably be going. Thank you so much for taking them tonight, Marinette. I really appreciate it.”

“What are friends for?”

His expression softened. “Yeah, we are friends, aren’t we?” He went for the door with a little wave and Marinette sat on the floor, covered in kittens, and knew she was feeling happy and warm for a whole other reason.


	5. Baking

“Listen,” Ladybug huffed, cornering the purse thief down an alley and dropping her bags. “You’ve made me chase you for four blocks now and my frosting is probably melted . Give. Me. The. Purse.”

He backed up against the wall and brandished a small knife. “I’m not afraid to use this.”

She noted his trembling hand and in an action almost too quick to follow, her yoyo was lashing out and knocking the knife from his grasp. It hit a dirty patch of ground and rolled a couple of times before stopping against the brick wall. “Will you please give me the purse now?”

The thief looked from his hand to the fallen knife in shock and then tossed the purse in her direction. Ladybug caught it handily. “Do I need to call the police?” she asked, sliding her yoyo open.

He shook his head quickly and tried to hunch in on himself. “It won’t happen again.”

“Good. But just in case, I’ll be watching you.” She flashed him a brilliant smile and picked up her bags and then set back off in the direction of the young mom the guy had grabbed the purse from. 

“Oh no, oh no, oh no. Gonna be late, late, late,” she chanted. It had unfortunately become the mantra of her life.  
___________________________

Chat Noir was waiting by the stairs of her building when Marinette finally made it home. She’d tried swinging there to cut down her time but her powers had given out as soon as dusk hit and she found herself stranded on a roof in a building with a broken elevator. She’d made it down eleven flights of stairs when she realized she’d left Chat Noir’s birthday cake on the roof when she’d rearranged her bags after her detransformation. Not having the energy or willpower to go back for it, she considered it a loss and had the tiny spark of hope that she could throw something together before he came to her apartment doused when she saw him waiting for her.

His smile at seeing her wilted the longer he looked at her. “Was I not supposed to be here? I went to the bakery first but I didn’t see you so I thought maybe you meant to come here so I was waiting but...” He trailed off with a grimace. “Do you want me to go?”

Marinette attempted to shake herself from the funk of her day and forced a smile. “Sorry. It’s been a bit of an afternoon and the cake I spent most of the day baking and icing for you got messed up and I told you we would have one and now we don’t and I’m sorry.”

Chat Noir blinked. “You spent all day making a cake for me?”

She blushed and busied herself with finding her keys. A couple of her neighbors came out the front door of the building and paused to take in the hero casually standing there before they passed by them, talking in excited, hushed tones. “I mean, not all day. Did you still want to come up and see the kittens?”

“As long as you don’t mind the company. You seem a little tired.” He rolled his bottom lip under in a nervous gesture. “We can try again tomorrow if you want.”

Marinette felt a real smile pull at her lips and she shook her head. “Come on. Alya should be home soon anyway and she’s picking up dinner for us.” 

“If you’re sure...”

“Did you go out and buy cat stuff today?”

Chat Noir laughed as he followed her up the stairs. “You mean did I buy enough for all the cats in Paris to live with me and still have more than they can use? Then yes, yes I did.”


	6. Familiy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the kind comments! I'm really glad you guys like the story so far and hopefully things will be amping up very soon :D

“Okay, let’s see what’s next.” Alya scrolled down a list on her tablet and Chat Noir peeked over her shoulder and blinked wide, green eyes. 

“Holy cats, that’s a lot of questions.”

“Well, I’m not going to blow through them all tonight so don’t worry.” She shot him a fierce grin. “You’ll be coming back for lots more interviews, right?” 

“Uh...” He cut his eyes to Marinette who picked up one of the kittens and hugged it to her chest.

“Don’t look at me; you’re the one who agreed to this. I tried to warn you.” She kissed the kitten and reached for a new one. 

Alya caught the look of absolute fondness that washed over his face and she snorted, eliciting a blush from the hero. “Okay, then let’s see. Tell me about your family.”

“We already agreed to no questions that could compromise my identity. You already know about my birthday.” Chat Noir wagged a finger at her as he folded down to the floor beside Marinette. 

“You’re no fun.”

“Alya,” Marinette warned.

“Fine, fine. Can I get a video of you using Cataclysm on something maybe?”

Chat Noir’s eyes lit up. “Really? Yeah, that’d be awesome!”

“You’ll have to leave then, won’t you?” Marinette realized her mistake as soon as she’d asked the question and quickly tried to cover it. “I mean, I remember Alya had Ladybug do something with Lucky Charm and she had to leave pretty soon after.”

“Ah, yeah.” He scratched at the back of his neck. “I have to take a break after using it before I can transform again.”

“You can just detransform here,” Alya offered, tone light. “We can keep a secret.”

He grinned and winked at his friend. “Well, I know Marinette can; we’ve reached peak friendship levels, but you and I are meeting for the first time so maybe I’ll keep my secrets for now.”

“I guess I’ll make do with these candid photos of you playing with the kittens for tonight then,” Alya sighed. “Do you mind if I upload them to the blog?”

“I’d be honored.”

They watched her go through her bedroom door before returning their attention to the kittens. “So did you find homes for the other three?”

Marinette stuck out her bottom lip. “No one wanted to take all three and I don’t want to split them up anymore but Alya said we can only have two so we aren’t outnumbered.” She ran her finger along the head of the mostly white kitten. “They’re family. They should be allowed to stay together.”

“Well, I could take three and you could keep two if you want,” Chat Noir offered.

“Really? Yesterday you were worried about taking one.”

He shrugged. “I spent all day researching and buying stuff. I think I can handle it.” He reached up to tap the tip of his ear. “Besides, it’ll probably come naturally.”

“If you say so,” she laughed.

“And this way, they’ll still be family. I can bring the three over to play anytime you want.”

Marinette ducked her head shly. “That sounds really nice, thanks.” She reached out to grab the black kitten. “I’ve grown a little attached, I think.”

Chat Noir felt his heart swell in his chest as he watched her and knew he was in trouble. “Yeah, I know the feeling.”


	7. Roommates

“What was that thing?” Alya asked in a hushed voice as she rewatched the video she’d been able to record on her phone when the superpowered villain attacked outside the shop she’d been in. “It didn’t even look human and it came out of nowhere. One minute, I’m contemplating spending half my check on a dress and the next I’m on the set of a Marvel movie.”

“I’m just glad you called me when you did. Who knows how long it would’ve been before I found out about it. The damage wasn’t too bad, thankfully.” Marinette winced as she dabbed at the cut along her cheek. She didn’t think it was deep enough for stitches but it might take a while for the mark to go away. “Stupid rock-throwing spiky alien thing,” she muttered.

Her roommate held up a fresh bandage without looking away from her phone. “So this guy was...what, trapped in a weird magic suit? Brainwashed? He looked human after you broke that horn thing.”

“I don’t know. The butterfly was weird too.” 

“Butterfly?”

“You didn’t see a butterfly?” 

“No.”

“Oh.” Marinette smoothed the pink bandage along her cheek and frowned at her reflection. Between the bandage on her face and the wrist brace on her right hand, she wasn’t looking like much of a victor. “He didn’t seem to have any idea what had happened to him. He said he remembered a voice but that was it.”

“Yikes.”

“Yeah.”

“But also kind of cool.”

Marinette gave Alya an incredulous look. “He could’ve killed me out there today!”

“Okay, so that part isn’t so cool, but what if you have a nemesis now?”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Think about it. You and Chat Noir have just been chilling out and taking care of small time stuff that the police can mostly handle anyway. You’ve even wondered why Master Fu called you to do this; I know you have.”

“Maybe.”

“So this could be it!” Alya’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Maybe he knew the Big Bad was going to show up sooner or later and he just wanted you to have some experience under your belt first.”

Marinette scowled. “A little warning would’ve been nice.”

“True. Not exactly cool to just throw you out there with no idea what was coming. Maybe he didn’t know.”

“So now we’ve got some...thing that can turn people into monsters? Or maybe this guy was just one of a lot of monsters who are coming and sometimes turn into humans? What am I supposed to do with that?”

Alya shrugged helplessly. “Go be a hero?”  
___________________________________

Marinette was curled on the couch and trailing a ribbon across her lap for Petal and Bloom to chase when Alya called her frantically from her bedroom. Before she could get up, her roommate was rounding the couch with her laptop in hand. 

“It’s back, the thing’s back.” She dropped the laptop between them and pushed the screen back, ignoring the agitated kittens who’d had their game interrupted. “And it’s not the only one.”

Marinette saw the odd spiky rock creature she’d fought earlier in the day first and then spotted two more to the left of the shot. There was a reporter standing in front of the camera, warily looking back at the monsters looming in the background. They didn’t seem to be doing anything but standing in place which was somewhat of a relief amidst the shock of seeing them but then she saw something else and felt her heart drop.

Chat Noir stood between two of the creatures, his baton drawn as he tried to keep an eye on them. His expression was unreadable from so far away but Marinette knew exactly what he was feeling because she’d felt it earlier that day.

Panic.

Fear. 

Confusion.

“I have to go help him!” She jumped up and walked in a tight frantic circle until she realized she needed to go to her room to change.

“Marinette, what are you going to do?” Alya followed her with the laptop. “You can’t turn into Ladybug right now.”

“I know that! I...I’ll figure something out.” She pulled on some jogging pants and forced her foot into a sneaker. “The horn! I can tell him to break the horn on their heads to make them turn back.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“No!” She struggled into the other shoe and started pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she went for their door. “Stay here and safe. Wait! Actually do this for me.” She grabbed her phone off the coffee table and scrolled through her contacts quickly, muttering under her breath. “Put this in your phone.” She read off the number as Petal batted at her shoelace. “That’s Master Fu’s number. Call him and tell him...tell him everything. Tell him I’m with Chat and call me if he knows what we should do.”

“Have you told him about Chat?”

“Of course not. I chickened out.” Marinette gently but quickly picked up Petal and Bloom and dropped them on the couch so they wouldn’t have time to make it to the door as she left. “Call me when you know something!” she yelled as she left her apartment to go fight monsters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for this AU, I'm taking some of the elements we saw in Origins with Ladybug not knowing she needed to cleanse the akuma which caused more akumas to sprout. She doesn't have Tikki to tell her these kinds of things so while she knows about using Lucky Charm, she doesn't know about the Miraculous Cure. I thought it would be something different to have to watch the characters work things out for themselves when they don't have kwamis to let them in on the trade secrets. Maybe Master Fu told them each about Lucky Charm and Cataclysm and hoped they would figure out the rest because that's usually how he rolls.


	8. Mittens for Kittens

Marinette’s panic level reached an all-time high by the time she made it to the plaza she’d seen on the broadcast. She managed to call her parents on the way over and warn them to stay inside but she didn’t know if it would make a difference. Every part of the city she passed was filled will statue still versions of the creature she’d fought earlier that day. In the span of a few hours, her life as a hero had changed drastically and it didn’t look like she was going to have a moment anytime soon to process it.

She broke the perimeter of the plaza and pushed past the crowd of murmuring gawkers. Chat Noir was running towards her as soon as she could see him, his face a mask of fear. “Marinette, you have to get out of here!” he yelled even as they closed the distance between them. “What are you doing here?!”

“The horn,” she panted and knocked her knuckles against her forehead. Her heart was racing and her lungs were burning. “The horns on their heads. Break them and they turn back.” She gasped and doubled over, trying to catch her breath. She really needed to work on sprinting endurance.

“The horn?!” He looked from her to the creatures and back again. “What...why do you know that?!”

“Trust me.” She straightened and met his eyes. “We have to get rid of their horns.”

“There’s no ‘we’ here. Go home. Please.” His words were strained as he glanced back to check on the monsters. “You’re going to get hurt.”

Marinette clenched her jaw. “So are you.”

Chat Noir blinked and noticed the bandage on her face. He reached up to run his thumb along the edge. “What happened?”

She swallowed hard and lifted her right hand to show off the wrist brace. “I, uh, I got caught up in it earlier.”

“Earlier?” He frowned and did another check on the frozen creatures.

“You didn’t see anything about Ladybug earlier?”

“Did she have to fight these things?! Are they only like this at night? Did you see anything?!” His eyes were wide and he cast another frightened glance over his shoulder.

Marinette didn’t like the panic in his voice. He’d been scared when she first arrived but her presence seemed to amplify it. She took in a deep breath and attempted to think calm thoughts. “Okay, you need to go up to one of them and break off the horn and see if that works. I’ll stay right here out of harm’s way, I promise.”

Chat Noir gave her a stiff nod. “Right, time to be the hero.” He forced a brave smile that looked a little too brittle around the edges. “This will be...I can do this,” he nodded. “Easy as keeping mittens on kittens.”

She frowned as she watched him run toward the closet monster. “Mittens on kittens? That doesn’t sound easy at all...” She held her breath as he climbed up the back, using the spikes as hand and foot holds until he reached the shoulders and stood. He looked back at her, his smile gone. She tried to nod encouragingly but the look he gave her made her unsure if her meaning had gotten through.

Chat Noir braced himself and reached down to wrap both hands around the horn. He grunted with effort and the spike made a cracking sound as it came free. There was a frozen moment of Chat Noir holding the broken horn in his hand and then he was tumbling to the ground as the creature dusted away to reveal an elderly man crumpling to the ground. 

Marinette’s attention went to Chat Noir as he fell but something caught her eye in the bright street lamps. She squinted, trying to make out the dark object and then it flitted into the light just right and she knew.

Butterfly.

It was just like the one she’d seen earlier and had almost convinced herself had been in her imagination. She followed its progression until it disappeared into the crowd and then there was a chorus of screams as one of the spiky rock monsters appeared in the middle of the people. It was as still as the others even as civilians scattered from the area.

“Uh, Chat, we have a problem,” Marinette called, hating how shaky her voice sounded. She didn’t like knowing she had the power to help but being unable to access it.

He turned away from helping the old man up and stared at the new monster. “Oh,” he breathed. “This is definitely a problem.”


	9. Ice Skating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the awesome comments! I'm not very good at responding to them sometimes but please know that I read every one and I really appreciate all the encouragement. I'm glad you are liking the story! <3

“That looks like a thinking face,” Chat Noir noted, his eyes bouncing between the three spaced out giants around them before landing on Marinette once more. “What’s up?”

“I think the butterflies are turning people into these...things.” She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I would wager this newest one is just an unlucky onlooker from the crowd and when the butterfly touched them, they turned into that.” She gestured in the monster’s direction.

“What butterflies?”

“Am I really the only one seeing the butterflies?!”

He blinked. “I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean.”

Marinette made a sound that landed somewhere between a huff and a growl and stalked off towards the nearest creature. Chat Noir was quick on her heels and grabbed her arm to hold her back.

“What are you doing?”

“They obviously aren’t moving right now!” She pulled her arm away in agitation. “I think it might be a sunlight thing or something so we definitely don’t want them around come morning. I’m going to climb up its back and break the horn and I need you to catch the butterfly when it comes out.”

“Okay, well, first of all, you’re not climbing anything, especially not one of these monsters. Second, there is no way I can let--”

“I can’t hear you over my climbing,” Marinette called, sprinting toward the creature and pulling herself up onto the first set of spikes at the base of its spine. 

Chat Noir cursed under his breath as he caught up to her. “Get down!” he hissed.

“Don’t worry about me. Just make sure you catch the butterfly when it comes out, okay? It’s going to be dark so...” She paused and looked down at him. “Can you see in the dark?”

“You mean like night vision?”

“Yeah.”

“A little,” he shrugged. “Better than normal, I guess.”

“Handy. Watch for a fluttery thing.”

“Will you please get down now?”

Marinette shook her head. “In a minute. Be ready to, like, I don’t know, jump up and grab the butterfly.” 

“Just know if you get hurt, I’m going to be really, really upset,” he warned, worried eyes tracking her movement up the giant.

“That’s really sweet.”

“It’s not meant to be sweet. I’m trying to keep myself from climbing up there after you because I’m afraid it would cause you to fall. You’re giving me a heart attack. I’m going to be dead at twenty-three and it’s your fault.”

“I promise I’ve got this. Are you ready?” She braced herself on the monster’s shoulders and realized just how precarious her position was as she wrapped both hands around the horn. When she’d been in this situation earlier as Ladybug, the vulnerability level had definitely felt lower. 

Marinette took in a deep calming breath and tried to think strong thoughts. She could immediately feel the difference as she worked on snapping the horn. She knew her Miraculous did more than put her in a spotted suit but she’d never compared the strength level before. She leaned forward to try to get more leverage and heard a cracking sound and Chat Noir yell her name as she went tumbling through the air.

Chat Noir caught her but Marinette was already watching the sky. “Where did it go?! Do you see it? There! Chat, there!” She grabbed his chin and tilted his head in the right direction.

“I see it.” His voice was low as he set her on her feet and moved after the butterfly, keeping his eyes trained on the small dark creature flitting through the night sky. “What am I supposed to do when I get it?”

“Uh...”

“Reassuring.”

“Sorry!” She carefully moved behind him after checking the young woman who was lying unconscious where the monster had been moments before. “This is all new to me too, you know.”

“Hey, so when we hang out next, maybe we can just go ice skating or something,” Chat Noir suggested, straining his eyes to keep watch. “Save the monster stuff for really special occasions.”

“Sounds like a good plan, Kitty.”

“Kitty, huh?”

“Is that okay?”

“Yeah, I like it. Hang on.” He suddenly leapt up into the air with his arm outstretched and plucked the butterfly out of the sky. He rolled when he fell and kept his hand caged around the flapping insect. “What do I do with it now?” He sat up and held his arm aloft with a disgusted expression on his face. “It feels...not good.”

Marinette moved closer warily. “Does it hurt?”

“No, it isn’t pain, but it...” He trailed off with a surprised yelp as a swirl of purple and black energy began to move up his arm from the trapped butterfly. “Cataclysm!” he yelled.

A rush of power moved out from his hand, the intensity of it knocking Marinette down to the ground. An awful putrid stench filled the air and then there was a commotion of noise and movement as the other monsters around the city crumbled away to reveal their hostage civilians. 

“Did we...did we do it?” Marinette coughed and sat up. “Are they gone?” She looked up to see Chat Noir staring at his ash covered glove. “Are you okay?”

He opened his mouth to answer and then turned away to throw up.


	10. Victorian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had no idea what to do with this prompt so ignore the name and we'll just keep progressing the story, haha

“What did Master Fu say about the monsters?” Sabine kept her voice low as she moved macarons from the cooling rack to the display tray. 

“He didn’t say much over the phone. I’m supposed to go meet with him in a couple of hours.” Marinette winced. “Which reminds me...is it okay if I leave early today?”

“Of course, sweetheart.”

“Sorry. I hate being unreliable.”

“Depending on what Master Fu knows about those things you and Chat Noir fought yesterday, we might need to shift some responsibilities around so you have time to do what you need to,” Sabine answered. She went to the oven and pulled out a finished tray of croissants. “Although I would rather not see Marinette out there anymore.” She gave her daughter a level look before reaching out to touch the bandage on her cheek first and then the wrist brace. “I have a hard enough time knowing you’re Ladybug somedays. Please be extra careful for me.”

“I’ll try, Mama; I’m sorry.”

Sabine pulled her daughter into a hug and kissed her uninjured cheek. “I’m so proud of you. We both are.” She released her with a smile. “Why don’t you go let your father know the ovens are free and take over the counter so he can come back here?”

Marinette nodded and did as she was asked. There was a mother and small child eating at one of the two tables out front but the bakery was otherwise empty. She wasn’t sure how to feel about what her mom had said. On one hand, it was nice to be able to be open about everything going on in case she did have more to do as Ladybug soon but then again, the thought of fighting creatures like the ones the day before on a regular basis was frightening. 

“Um, excuse me?”

She blinked and realized a blonde man was standing across the counter from her. She hadn’t even heard him come in. He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly with a mumbled apology. 

“No, I’m sorry. I think I spaced out for a minute.” She pasted on a smile. “What can I get you?” There was something about the way his cheeks blushed pink and the curl of his lips before he smiled that felt all too familiar.

“I’m not actually sure. I’ve been trying something different each time I come in.”

That was why he looked familiar then. Marinette remembered him ordering two of the chocolate croissants on his visit last week and a raspberry danish the time before. “You’re becoming quite the regular then,” she winked. “Have you tried the sourdough doughnuts yet? We just started making them.”

“I haven’t. I’ll take one of those then. And could I get a couple of lemon macarons too?”

“Of course. Would you like a drink?”

“A black coffee would be great, thanks.”

“No cream or sugar or milk?”

He bit his lip. “Maybe a little milk would be nice, some sugar too.”

She felt her smile grow wider. He really was cute and there was something endearing about his shyness. “No problem. Anything else?”

“I think that’ll do it.” He gestured to her hand. “But, um, if it’s going to hurt you to make the coffee, you can skip it.”

Marinette was confused for a second before she followed his gaze to the wrist brace. “Oh! No, I’ll be fine; don’t worry. It’s not broken or anything, I just...it’ll be fine.”

“If you’re sure.” He frowned and then pulled his wallet out of his back pocket.

She nodded and went to work fixing his drink. The nagging feeling that she knew him was still pulling at her mind but it had to be that she’d just seen him in the bakery a few times now. She couldn’t imagine where else they would’ve run into each other. 

“So yesterday was pretty crazy, huh? With the monsters and everything.”

Marinette half-turned back to him as she poured his coffee. “Yeah, it was a little scary.”

“Very scary,” he amended with a big nod. “I heard there was a civilian helping Chat Noir with them last night.”

She froze before pushing herself to keeping working. “Really?”

“Apparently she helped him take them down.”

“I’m sure he could’ve handled them just fine on his own.” She brought his coffee to the counter with a smile and reached into the case for his doughnut and macarons. 

“Maybe,” the customer replied in a skeptical voice. “But I’m sure he appreciated the help.”

Marinette knew she was blushing and spent more time than necessary placing the pastries on a plate before giving them to him. “I hope you enjoy your new choices today...I’m sorry, I don’t think I got your name.”

He beamed at her even as his cheeks went even pinker. “I’m Adrien.” He offered his hand out and Marinette took it with a gentle shake.

“Marinette,” she smiled back.


	11. Masquerade Ball

“Chat Noir is coming here?” Marinette looked around Master Fu’s apartment as if the man in question had already appeared.

“He is. I thought it best to talk to you together after the incidents of yesterday.” Master Fu sighed heavily as he sat down at his small table. “He will be coming with a mask on if you would like to transform. I will leave it up to the two of you if you would like to reveal your identities after we speak.”

“Wow. Okay.” She took a deep breath and willed her transformation, feeling relief as the constant vibration against her earlobes lessened to a soft hum. She would have to ask Chat Noir if he felt as jittery at night if he wasn’t transformed. Of course, from what she’d been able to witness, he might stay transformed from dusk til dawn if he could help it. He seemed to enjoy it. 

There was a soft knock at the door and Ladybug couldn’t calm the nervousness bubbling up. She held her breath as Master Fu opened in and then couldn’t hold back a laugh as Chat Noir was revealed. 

He grinned at her as he stepped into the room. He was wearing an ornate cat half mask that was done in delicate dark metals. Thin wires jutted out from each side to symbolize whiskers and black jewels glinted as the overhead light hit them. “What, too much?”

“Why do you even have that thing?” Ladybug tried to control her glee. Her nervousness at seeing Chat Noir in her hero form had transitioned into something more comfortable. He was still her Chat. She blinked at that and felt her cheeks warm. He was still her friend. Obviously, that’s all it meant.

“If you must know, my family hosts a lovely masquerade ball each year. I have a very nice collection of these beauties.” He dipped into a low bow and winked up at her. “It’s a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, milady.” 

“Well, you’re quite the tomcat, aren’t you?” she teased.

“Oh goodness, no, not me.” He straightened and tugged on his jacket lapels. “I’m a gentlecat.”

“Of course,” Ladybug nodded. Her cheeks were beginning to ache from smiling but she couldn’t seem to help herself. It was fun getting to watch Chat Noir in a different environment. He was still just as goofy as always and there was something reassuring in that.

“I think it would be wise that we get down to business,” Master Fu interjected, looking between them curiously. “Is this the first time you’re meeting?”

“Yes,” Chat Noir answered.

Ladybug bit her lip. “No.”

“No?”

“Well, this is the first time you’re meeting me as Ladybug,” she amended. 

His eyes widened slightly. “So I’ve only met you as Chat Noir?”

“Well, since I don’t know who you are under that ridiculous mask, I can only say I think so.”

He tilted his head and it was such a familiar gesture, Ladybug was tempted to drop her transformation just so he could know. Master Fu looked between them again and cleared his throat. “Shall we begin?”  
_________________________________________

“I’ve kept you much longer than I intended. Perhaps we can meet again tomorrow.” Master Fu cast a glance at the setting sun outside the window and then to Ladybug. She nodded and stood. 

“It’ll be nice to have the night to think about everything you’ve told us,” she agreed. “Chat Noir, it was a pleasure.”

“You mean besides all of the scary stuff we just learned?” he asked with a weak laugh.

“Oh yeah, definitely not counting that.”

“Look forward to meeting you again, Ladybug.”

“Right back at you, Chat Noir.” She waved at them both and hurried down the hall, feeling the drain on her power. She was almost to the street when her earrings went still and her costume disappeared. She looked back but didn’t see Chat Noir following her which was almost disappointing. It would’ve been nice if he could’ve just seen that she was Marinette.

She left the building and made it two blocks when there was a whistle and someone calling her name. She looked back to see Chat Noir appearing from an alley she passed by. “This isn’t usually your neck of the woods,” he commented, falling easily into step beside her.

“I was just in a meeting.” She caught the look on his face and decided not to offer any further explanation. He could figure her out if he wanted to. “You’re not usually over here either, are you?”

“I’m all over the city,” he answered nonchalantly. “Are you heading home?”

“I am. Did you want to come over?”

“Actually I wanted to see if you wanted to bring Petal and Bloom over to my place so they could see their brothers and sister.”

Marinette stopped walking and Chat Noir took a few extra steps before turning back to look at her. “What?”

“I can bring them to your place but they get kind of wriggly in the carrier.” He ducked his head shyly. “Unless you don’t want to come over and that’s okay too.”

“If I come to your house, won’t I be able to figure out who you are?”

Chat Noir met her eyes and a smile tugged at his lips. “I can think of worse things.”


	12. Reveal

“So, uh, if you just wanna go in through the door, the doorman will have your name. Looks like Gene’s on duty tonight. He’s a good one.” Chat Noir shifted his weight anxiously. “I kind of go up a special way so no one sees me.”

“You mean you don’t want to do the reveal right here on the sidewalk?” Marinette teased. She hefted the carrier with its mewling inhabitants and looked down the way to the building Chat Noir pointed out. “A doorman is pretty fancy. You’re rich, aren’t you?”

“My family is rich.”

“You say that like it’s different. So he is really going to just let me walk in?”

Chat Noir grinned. “Let’s just say your name has been on my visitor list since we reached lifelong friends level friendship.”

“I feel honored.”

“You should.”

Marinette bit her lip coyly. “I guess I’ll see you in a few minutes then, Kitty.”

He beamed at her. “The doorman will put in the code for you in the elevator.”

She turned and walked a few steps toward the building and glanced back to see Chat Noir give her an encouraging nod. She blushed and continued on her way until Gene opened the glass door for her. 

“Hi, my name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng and I’m here to see...” She trailed off with a frown. She couldn’t say Chat Noir, could she?

“Ah, yes, Mr. Agreste’s visitor. He said you might be expected tonight. Right this way, Miss.” He opened the elevator for her and keyed in a code before stepping out. “This will take you right up to the penthouse. Have a good evening.”

Marinette felt like her stomach was going to drop out as the elevator began to rise. The doorman had called Chat Noir Mr. Agreste. That name sounded familiar but she couldn’t quite place it. And apparently he lived in the penthouse? That was beyond fancy. Petal and Bloom interrupted her thoughts with howling meows to let her know just how displeased they were to still be in the carrier. She tried to soothe them and then the elevator doors were sliding open.

“I, uh, I wasn’t sure if I should still be Chat or not.”

“I know you...” Marinette tilted her head as she studied the blonde man before her.

“Well, yeah. We were just talking outside,” he winked but his pink cheeks gave him away. “Uh, you can still call me Chat if you want...or Kitty.” The pink grew darker. “Or you can call me Adrien.”

“You were in the bakery this morning!” Marinette popped her forehead with the heel of her hand. “You introduced yourself and everything. Very sneaky.”

He laughed. “I wasn’t trying to be sneaky really.”

“Mmmhmm.”

“Okay, maybe a little sneaky.” He gestured to the carrier. “You can let them out wherever if you want. It’s feeding time anyway.” He crossed the open space to the kitchen area and pulled out a bag of dry kibble, giving it a shake. “Han, Luke, Leia, dinnertime!”

Marinette giggled as she knelt down to open her carrier. “You can’t be serious with those names.”

“I’m very serious.” All three kittens came racing out from the bedroom and clammered around Adrien’s legs as he poured the food into three separate bowls on the counter. “Are Petal and Bloom hungry?”

“Always but they should be fine.”

“I’ll put a little extra just in case.” Adrien set each bowl down and all five kittens fell on them ravenously. He watched them for a few seconds and shook his head. “You want anything to drink?”

“A water would be nice.” Marinette made her way over to the couch and took a seat.

After a minute or two, Adrien offered her a bottle of water and took the other side of the couch. “So,” he said with a big smile.

“So,” she replied, her own cheeks aching from smiling so much. “Maybe we should talk about all the stuff Master Fu told us today.”

He blinked and then his smile grew wider. “Well, well, well, milady, looks like I’m not the only sneaky one here after all.”


	13. Villain

“So the one who made the monsters has a Miraculous like us.” Adrien shook his head. “Do you think they were a superhero before and went to the dark side?”

“Master Fu didn’t seem to want to talk about it. He did say the Butterfly Miraculous has been lost for a long time.” Marinette frowned and pulled Han into her lap. “Did you get the feeling he knows who it is though?”

“A little bit. You would think he would just tell us so we could go to the person’s house and take away their Miraculous. Seems like it would save everyone a lot of grief.”

“Yeah.”

“All I know is I don’t want to use Cataclysm on one of those butterflies again.” He shivered. “I felt sick the rest of the night.”

“Like how?”

“I don’t know exactly. It’s almost like it seeped through the suit into my skin. I felt jittery and sweaty and...” He shook his head. “It’s not something I want to do again if I don’t have to.”

“He said there was a way for me to cleanse the butterflies with my yoyo.” Marinette touched her left earring. “I’m going to need some more to go on before I know how though.”

“Yeah, these things didn’t exactly come with an instruction manual, huh?” Adrien ran his thumb along the silver of his ring. “Then comes the problem of us not really being able to help each other.”

“Hey, I did pretty good the other night.”

He smiled tightly. “I know you did. You almost gave me a heart attack more than once though. It’s too dangerous to try to do things when you can’t transform.”

“I held my own,” she muttered. “But you’re right. If I’m not around to cleanse the butterfly, the akumas will keep multiplying--”

“Or I have to use Cataclysm,” he finished.

“Which you don’t want to do.”

“Not if there’s another option.”

“Something else to ask Fu about tomorrow then.” Marinette yawned. “It’s getting late; I should go.”

Adrien ducked his head. “You could, uh, you could stay here if you want. I have a guest bedroom.”

She gave him a shy smile. “I think it’d be best if I go home but this was really nice.” She stood and scooped up her sleeping kittens and carefully placed them in the carrier. 

“Can I walk you home?”

“You don’t need to do that.”

“I want to. Besides, it’d probably be good to make a few rounds anyway.”

“If you really don’t mind...”

“Of course I don’t.” His transformation flowed down his body in a rush of green and Chat Noir shot her a familiar grin as he offered his arm. “Shall we?”

Marinette smiled back and linked her arm through his as she hefted the carrier with her other hand. “After you, Kitty.”


	14. Angst

Adrien whistled as he walked up the steps to his father’s house. He’d stopped by the bakery on his way and made Marinette giggle and blush as she packed up his order and he thought there couldn’t be a better start to his day. They had another meeting with Master Fu in the afternoon and he was checking in with his father beforehand. So far, it was looking like it was going to be a very nice Thursday.

“Father, I brought some of the most amazing croissants you’ll ever taste,” he called out, closing the front door behind him. “Dad?” He tried the door to the office and found it locked. 

Shrugging, he went ahead to the kitchen and unpacked the bakery bag. “Nathalie?”

There was a long pause and then Nathalie appeared in the opening of the kitchen. “I wasn’t aware you were stopping by today, Adrien.”

“I have some time before a meeting this afternoon and thought I’d bring Dad a treat.” He gestured to the plated croissants. “I got one for you too.”

“Your father isn’t feeling well today. It would be best for you to call ahead of time next time you want to visit.”

Adrien swallowed the bite of his croissant he’d taken. “Is he okay?”

“Just a headache. He’ll be fine with rest.”

“Oh. Okay then.” Adrien grabbed a napkin to wrap his extra croissant in. “Well, let him know I stopped by, I guess.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.”

He nodded and followed her to the front door. “Have a nice day, Nathalie.”

“Thank you, Adrien.”

He went down the stairs feeling slightly heavier than he had when he’d gone up them. He was almost to the gate when he remembered the piece of mail that’d been accidentally delivered to his apartment. He made it back up the stairs and was about to open the front door when there was a shadow by the window. Curiosity got the best of him and he stepped to the side to peer into his father’s office. 

At first he couldn’t make sense of what he was seeing and then his father appeared in a flash of purple and a flurry of white butterflies. His face was twisted into an expression that Adrien wasn’t sure he’d ever seen on Gabriel’s face before. His breath caught in his throat as his attention landed on the butterflies floating around the office. They were a different color but there was something sickeningly familiar to them. His stomach twisted into knots thinking about how it felt to use Cataclysm on the dark one a few nights before. 

He tripped over his feet as he went back down the stairs and barely caught himself from falling face first to the concrete. He walked out of the gate in a daze, his mind warring with itself over what he might’ve just seen.  
__________________________________

Marinette jumped when Chat Noir appeared in the mouth of the alley outside of Master Fu’s place. “Chat? Where were you today? We waited for a little bit and then finally finished talking. I should probably get your phone number so we have a way to communicate when...hey, are you okay?”

“I...I’m not sure,” he admitted quietly. “Can we go somewhere to talk?”

“Did you want to go back up to Master Fu’s?”

He glanced up at the building and shook his head. “I think you’re the only one I trust right now.” 

“That sounds bad.”

“I think it is.”

She reached for his hand. “You want to come to my place?”

“Do you mind?”

“Let’s go.”


	15. Found

“Alya isn’t here?” Chat Noir asked, looking around the living room he’d become so familiar with over the last couple of weeks.

“I think she’s staying at Nino’s. I’m sure she’ll text soon.” Marinette patted the space beside her on the couch. “Talk to me.”

His brow furrowed under his mask. “I saw something and I really don’t know what to think of it.”

“What’d you see?”

“I don’t know if I can tell you.”

She frowned. “Then I think we’re going to have a problem talking about it.”

“I know, sorry.” He wrung his hands together anxiously. “Maybe I should go.”

“Do you want to know what Master Fu and I talked about?”

He looked uncertain but nodded. “Yeah, if you want to share.”

“You’re my partner; of course I do.”

Chat Noir looked down at his lap guiltily but didn’t reply.

“I was able to transform and he showed me what I need to do the next time I see one of those butterflies. My yoyo can cleanse them and then we shouldn’t get multiple monsters like before.” She tilted her head as she watched him. “Also means you won’t have to use Cataclysm on them anymore if we can figure out a way to hold them until I can transform.”

“That’d be nice. Are you sure it isn’t going to make you feel sick too?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “He said it is part of my power set so I think it’s what I’m meant to do.”

“Do I have another power too?”

“He didn’t say.”

“Ah.”

“Oh! And I can make things go back to the way they were before the akumas if I use my Lucky Charm after the butterfly has been cleansed. Kinda like a reset button, according to Fu.”

He screwed his face up. “Akumas?”

“That’s what he called the monster thing.”

“I wish there was some way for us to work together.”

She knocked her shoulder against his as they sat side by side on the couch. “I think we’re doing all right.”

There was a shadow of a smile as he gave her a small nod. “We’re managing.”

“Are you still feeling upset?”

Chat Noir sighed. “Yeah.”

“Mmm.”

He pursed his lips. “What if I told you I might know where the butterfly came from but I can’t tell you who?”

“I...I’m not sure. You saw someone with the Miraculous?”

“I didn’t get that close a look.”

“So you saw someone with the dark butterflies?”

“Well, they weren’t dark. They kind of glowed a little.”

“Oh.”

“But there was a flash of light just like when I transform.” He hung his head. “For a second, I thought maybe I’d been paranoid but I think my first instinct was right.”

“But you don’t want to tell me who you suspect?”

“No,” he replied flatly.

“Okay.”

“You aren’t going to push it?”

“Not tonight.”

“Thank you.”

They were quiet as Petal and Bloom found their way into the living room and onto the couch after a few failed attempts. Each kitten picked a lap and curled up with soft purrs.

“I’m sorry you found something out that is bothering you this much,” Marinette finally said, voice quiet. “But I hope you know you can trust me with anything.”

“I just need some time. Maybe I can sort it out without anything bigger happening.”

She tried to hold back her frown. “Okay, but just know I’m here if you need me.”

He reached over to take her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Thank you; I know.”


	16. Ghost

“I went to see Mom today.” Adrien gauged his father’s reaction as he always did when he made the same announcement but there was no change in his reaction.

“Did you speak to Dr. Renagen?”

“No, he wasn’t in.” He pushed a broccoli floret around his plate with his fork. “Have you been to see her lately?”

Gabriel cleared his throat. “Not this week. I will try to on Friday.”

“Okay.” Adrien frowned and slightly pushed his plate away. “I think she misses you.” That comment did garner a reaction. Gabriel’s head shot up, eyes widening slightly.

“She asked about me?”

“Well, no,” the younger man winced. “It was more a feeling I got. She didn’t really talk much today.”

“I see.” 

Adrien watched his father’s expression smooth out once more into a blank mask and he inwardly sighed as he sat back in his chair. He’d hoped his recent visit to the very private medical facility to visit his mother would’ve given them more to talk about, but he’d played his hand too quickly. 

There’d been a car accident a few years back that left Emilie Agreste with severe memory loss and limited brain functions. Though the accident had been caused by a drunk driver, it was obvious Gabriel blamed himself. Adrien couldn’t fault that feeling, if he was being honest with himself. Part of the reason he accepted the mantle of Chat Noir was to have an outlet to help keep other people safe when he didn’t have the power to help his own family. He was beginning to think that perhaps his father had the same notion.

“Has Dr. Renagen noticed any improvement?” he prodded.

“No.”

“Oh.” 

The ghost of the woman his mother was before the accident haunted the house. She was bright and smiling in the huge oil paintings all around them and his father had made few changes to the decor over the years. Adrien wondered if Gabriel really thought Emilie was going to suddenly be okay one day and walk back into the house. It was a nice hope, a really nice hope, but not a realistic one, according to the many doctors and specialists who’d treated her.

“But I think that might be changing soon,” Gabriel added.

Adrien looked up in surprise. “Is there a change in her treatment?”

Gabriel cleared his throat and pushed away from the table and stood. “I have some things to work on but I’ll see you for dinner next Tuesday.” He walked out of the dining room without a backward glance and Adrien heard his office door open and close and then there was silence.  
______________________________________

“I was hoping I would see you tonight.” Marinette held up a white paper bag with a gold logo as she smiled at Chat Noir, standing in his usual post by the column outside the park. “I brought extra treats.”

The gloom that’d been hanging over him since his dinner with Gabriel evaporated as soon as she spoke. It was amazing the way just being near her could change his mood so instantly. “As if I wasn’t just in there this morning,” he grinned, taking the bag from her and falling into step at her side. “I’m going to have to up my gym time at this rate.”

She cut her eyes to the side and made a humming noise without comment.

“Something you want to say?” he teased, poking her side. “I’m getting chubby, aren’t I?”

“For your information, I was just thinking you don’t really have anything to worry about,” she sniffed, lifting her chin and trying to ignore the blush she could feel creeping across her cheeks. “You could deal with coming in a little more often.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you like having me around, Princess.”

“Princess?!” She sputtered and felt her cheeks go from mildly warm to flaming hot. “What...why...”

Chat Noir’s grin grew wider as he watched her face go red. “I think it’s fitting.”

“You’re a menace.”

Whatever retort Chat Noir planned died on his lips as a loud inhuman growl tore through the city. He and Marinette shared a wide-eyed look and then they were off and running toward the commotion.


	17. Rooftop Save

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the lovely comments! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this AU <3

Marinette watched Chat Noir sail across the plaza and winced as he landed even harder than he had the last time the large akuma tossed him. He was running out of energy and strength and even now was having trouble getting back up.

“Please, please,” she whispered, clutching her hands together tightly. She could feel the sharp pain of her nails digging between her knuckles but she couldn’t stop. “Please. I’ve got to help him. Please...”

He’d left her on a nearby rooftop once they’d found the akuma, making her promise to stay put before he went down for the fight. He’d cupped her face gently and looked like he was going to say something before he flashed her a brilliant grin and leapt off the edge of the roof and into the fray.

“Spots on, please, spots on!” 

The akuma was stalking towards Chat Noir as he painfully stood, putting too much weight on his baton. He was hurt, really hurt by the looks of it. The suits could only take so much damage after all and he’d been tossed around like a toy.

“Spots on! Damn it, spots on!” She was screaming now and could feel the strain on her vocal chords. “Spots on, spots on, spots on,” she chanted. The akuma was almost on Chat Noir when she felt a flash of heat against her earlobes and then her transformation was trailing down her body in a rush of power. She looked up at the bright moon for a second of disbelief before she was swinging down and kicking out to knock the akuma back from her partner.

“Ladybug?” Chat Noir rasped, blinking at her with wide eyes.

“I’m not questioning it. Stay behind me,” she ordered. She stood tall and kept her yoyo at the ready. “I’m thinking that sack at her waist.”

“That or the earring. She keeps touching it.”

Ladybug looked up and spotted the gleaming silver hoop sticking out of the akuma’s green ear. “I got it; get somewhere safe.”

Chat Noir tried to argue but fell into a coughing fit and she caught the glimpse of bright red against his glove before he covered his mouth and looked at her with a frightened expression. 

“Right.” She ground her teeth together. “Down to business.”

After what felt like an eternity, Ladybug was slinging out her yoyo and saying a silent prayer that she could catch the dark butterfly. Even after a long fight with Chat Noir, the akuma still had plenty for her. It’d felt like a fluke the way she’d been able to use her Lucky Charm against her and finally break the earring away but she was so glad it had worked.

She tiredly watched the cleansed butterfly lift up out of her yoyo and flit into the air. The adrenaline from the fight was quickly leaking away and she felt like she could crumple to the ground and sleep for days.

“My Lady...” Chat Noir’s voice was barely a whisper and she looked back at him to see more blood speckled against his lips and chin. “You said something about a cure before?” He coughed painfully and Ladybug spun in a frantic circle until she found the role of tape created as her Lucky Charm. She threw it up into the air and breathed a sigh of relief as a horde of magical ladybugs swarmed around them. 

“That’s...wow.” Chat Noir stood and wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. “You’re amazing.”

“You softened her up for me. I just...” Her eyes rolled back in her head as her transformation fell and Chat Noir barely caught Marinette before she hit the ground.


	18. Balcony

The first thing Marinette saw were stars. Her eyes felt heavy but she worked them wider anyway. Something felt off. She shouldn’t be outside, should she? It was late. Why was she here? Something had happened. She’d been with someone. She’d been with--

“Oh, thank God,” Chat Noir gasped. He pulled her closer to his chest. “You had me so scared.” He kissed the top of her head and held her tighter still. 

“Where are we?” Her tongue felt too big for her mouth and her throat was dry. Why did she feel so terrible? Was she sick?

“On top of your parents’ bakery. I’ve been trying to decide if I should take you to the hospital and this is halfway there. I have half a mind to go downstairs and wake them up.”

Marinette pushed against his chest and he reluctantly loosened his grip on her. She looked up at him in confusion. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?”

Her face screwed up in confusion for a second before transitioning to recollection. “I was Ladybug at night.” She met his eyes. “How?”

“I have no idea. You saved my life though.” He frowned. “But I don’t think it was good for you. You’ve been out of it for over half an hour. How do you feel?”

“Tired. Like really, really tired. And thirsty.”

“I still think I should take you to the hospital.”

“Take me home.” She rested her ear against his chest and heard the reassuring thump of his heart. It made her feel better somehow. The flash of a memory of blood covering his mouth and hand hit her and she had to look up to make sure it wasn’t still the case. “Are you okay?”

He was confused for a moment and then wiped at his mouth. There was a faint rust colored stain where the blood had been. “I am now. You fixed me.”

“Good.” She relaxed against him again and felt his arms tighten around her. 

“You want me to take you home or the hospital? You really don’t look well.”

“I just need sleep. Home. Please.” 

He was careful as he gathered her up and sailed into the air to land on the next rooftop. Marinette felt herself slide in and out of awareness as he ran, letting the beat of his heart keep her grounded. It felt like hardly any time passed when they were suddenly inside her building and he was gently nudging her awake. “Do you have your key, Mari?”

She struggled to open her purse and he finally set her down and took it away from her to look for the key himself. Marinette swayed on her feet and then she was being picked up again and Chat Noir carried her to her bedroom and laid her on the bed. He was reaching for her blankets when she grabbed his arm sleepily. “Stay with me?” she asked, words slurring together.

He kissed her forehead and slid in beside her as his transformation fell. “Of course,” he whispered, pulling her close.


	19. Flowers

“Chat Noir, I presume.”

Adrien jumped, fumbling the coffee cup and barely catching it before it hit the floor. He turned guiltily to see Alya watching him with an amused expression. “Um, hi.”

She held up a stun gun and waved it casually. “You’re lucky I’m so smart. I wake up and walk into my kitchen to find a strange blonde man rummaging through our cabinets and my first thought is to drop him.” She grinned. “But a strange blonde man who seems to know his way around and goes straight for Marinette’s favorite pink mug with the flowers? It wasn’t hard to piece together.”

“Thanks?”

Alya nodded and moved past him to grab her own mug. “So staying over, huh? That’s kind of big.” She took the coffee pot off its plate and poured a long stream into her cup. “Like really big for Marinette.”

“She got hurt last night and when I brought her home, she asked me to stay.” Adrien grimaced at the way Alya swung around to face him, eyes narrowing.

“What do you mean by hurt?”  
__________________________________

“Why are you Chat again?”

“It’s almost been a whole day.”

“I know.”

“I think we need to take her to the hospital. It might be easier like this. I can blame it on the akuma last night.”

“What about her earrings? They won’t come off. How are we going to explain that?”

“We can make up an excuse.”

“What did Master Fu say?”

Marinette rose to awareness slowly. She felt nice and warm and had that satisfied feeling of sleeping well and long. She stretched a little and felt her joints pop all the way up her body. The voices she’d been hearing in muted stereo fell silent and with some effort, she blinked a few times until her eyesight came into focus. “What’s wrong?” she asked in a raspy voice.

Alya was already moving to grab a bottle of water from the nightstand and Chat Noir helped her sit up. Marinette let them move her like a doll as they fussed over her. The water tasted too good to put up much of a fight. After a few sips, she felt more alert. 

“How long have I been out?”

“Too long. We were scared.” Chat Noir kept her reclining against his chest and intertwined one of his hands carefully with hers. With his free hand, he pulled Marinette’s flower-covered blanket up higher on her lap. He caught Alya watching him but ignored it; he needed this comfort now that Marinette was awake. “How do you feel?”

Marinette settled against him easily with a relaxed sigh. “Tired but not sleepy.”

“Chat said you transformed at night,” Alya prodded. There were irritated mewling sounds behind her and she turned to pick up Petal and Bloom and put them on the bed. The kittens pounced on wrinkles in the blanket a few times before settling down on Marinette’s legs.

“I...I did.” Marinette’s brow furrowed as the memories rushed back. “I was so desperate to help him and then it just happened.”

“Well, it can’t happen again,” Chat Noir said stubbornly. “It isn’t worth it.”

She tilted her head back to look at him, a deep frown falling into place. “You could’ve died.”

"Says the woman who was just passed out for a day.”

Alya looked between them before letting her attention settle on her roommate. “Do you think you could make it happen again?”

“What?! Absolutely not!” Chat Noir glared over Marinette’s head at her. “Are you crazy? You saw what this did to her.”

“I know, I know.” Alya held up both hands. “I’m not saying she try right now, but maybe it’s something you both can work on, you know, like training a certain muscle.”

“That’s actually a good idea,” Marinette agreed. “Maybe the reason we’re stuck like this is because there is something we have to push through.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“We can try it together, Kitty.” She tilted her head back again and watched his resolve crack. “I want to be able to help you.”

“I want to be able to help you too,” he whispered. 

“Well, I’m feeling very voyeuristic right now so I’m going to bed.” Alya stood and stretched. “I’m really glad you’re feeling better, Mari. Get some more rest.” She smiled at her best friend and gave them both a wave before leaving the room. 

They sat in comfortable silence for a long while before Chat Noir finally stirred. “I need to go home. I called an assistant to go check on the kittens earlier but I need to go myself now.”

Marinette looked down at her own kittens nestled on her lap. “An assistant, huh? You’re fancy.”

“My father is,” he laughed. He kissed the top of her head again and found it was getting harder to keep those to a minimum but Marinette hadn’t seemed put off by it at least. “I’m tempted to take you with me but you need rest.”

She sighed and half turned her body to snuggle in closer to his. “As long as we take Petal and Bloom, I can go. I don’t want to be away from you right now, I don’t think.”

He couldn’t stop himself from kissing the top of her head again. “I know the feeling.”


	20. Pranks

“Ha ha, very cute.” Marinette crossed her arms. “You think you’re so funny.”

Chat Noir held out the costume headband of ladybug antenna with a coy grin. “Oh, I know I’m cute, Princess; make no mistake.”

“I’m not wearing those.”

“Come on, they could be inspiration.”

She huffed and grabbed the headband and surily pushed it back on her head. “There, happy?”

He held up his baton and took a quick picture. “Now I am.”

“Delete that.”

“Not for all the money in the world,” he laughed, dancing backwards and out of her reach.

“I can see you two are getting a lot done.” Alya walked into the living room and settled down on the couch with her laptop. “How’s it going?”

“It’s not,” Marinette sighed. She took off the headband and tossed it onto the coffee table. “We’ve been trying for over a week now and nothing I seem to do causes a transformation at night. Maybe it was a fluke.”

“What about you, Whiskers?”

Chat Noir sank down beside Marinette and casually put his arm around her. “It’s the same for me. We spent over an hour at my place yesterday morning trying to cause a transformation but nothing.”

“And Fu had nothing to tell you guys?”

The heroes exchanged an uncertain look before Marinette returned her attention to Alya. “He doesn’t think we should keep trying.”

The other woman raised her eyebrows. “Did he give you a reason?”

“He said the Miraculous are damaged and we could do further harm to them by trying to force them out of these cycles,” Chat Noir answered.

“But yet you guys are still trying.”

“We’re not sure he’s right.” Marinette bit her lip. “It’s just...yeah, it wiped me out to be Ladybug at night but when I was transformed at the same time as Chat, it was right, you know? It felt like the way things are meant to be.”

“Did you tell Fu that?”

“He’s still worried.”

“Ah.”

“You’re kind of an outside perspective,” Chat Noir pointed out. “What do you think?”

Alya pursed her lips in thought. “I think...I think you should trust your instincts on this, Marinette. I’m sure Fu has the best intentions but you’re the ones out there in the middle of it and I like knowing you have each other’s backs.”

“We’re lucky the one akuma this week was during the day and the police were able to help.”

“I had it pretty well covered,” Marinette huffed.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he soothed, kissing her temple.

Alya watched them, trying not to smile. “So am I allowed to ask if you guys are dating? Because I gotta tell you, with that outside perspective, it sure seems like it.”

They both blinked in surprise, two sets of cheeks going scarlet. 

“Alya!” Marinette hissed. “Don’t just say things like that!”

“It’s an honest question!” Alya couldn’t hold in her laughter anymore. “It’s not like you’re stingy with the PDA.”

Chat Noir seemed to be trying to get any read he could from Marinette’s reaction as a deeper blush leaked from beneath his mask. She finally looked up at him, an apology dying on her lips. 

“I mean, if it’s up to me,” he said, a soft smile pulling at his lips, “I say absolutely.”

She blinked a couple of times and felt her heart rate go up a few notches. “Yeah, that, um, that sounds perfect.”


	21. Cold Night

Chat Noir perched on the wall outside his father’s home, hunching down in the corner of shadows the security camera didn’t quite reach. His night vision was sharp enough to see clearly into his father’s office despite the dim lamp light he was working by. It was no wonder he had to keep getting a stronger lens prescription for his glasses each year.

That thought made him think of his mother since she’d always scolded Gabriel about working in the dark and his mother was the reason he was here after all. Chat Noir slunk low along the wall to peer into more windows. It’d been quite the shock to go visit Emilie earlier in the day at the facility she’d lived for years to find her room empty and belongings gone. Apparently his father had moved her home for even more private care than the luxurious state-of-the-art facility they’d chosen together could provide.

Movement caught his attention and Chat Noir leapt from the wall to the thin ledge that ran along the second story of the house. He carefully crept by the windows, peeking in to track Gabriel’s movement through the hallway. It took his mind a few minutes to make sense of his father’s appearance. His suit had transitioned from the cream it’d been moments before to a deep purple. His hair fell free of its usual slicked back style and it gave him the appearance of a younger man and his glasses were gone, a thin silver mask in their place.

Chat Noir’s breath caught in his throat when he reached the window to the master bedroom. His mother was sitting up against the headboard with the same blank expression she wore most times he’d visited her. Nathalie was in a chair in the corner of the room keeping watch and stood when Gabriel entered.

He was tempted to move along the ledge to the window closest to the bed so he could hear what they were saying but he wasn’t sure it was worth getting caught just yet. Adrien suddenly appearing would be one thing, but his family seeing Chat Noir peering into the window at night would be another issue all together. 

Glowing white butterflies flitted around Gabriel and he opened his hand for one to land on his gloved palm. He cupped his hands around it, lips moving in words too low for Chat Noir to make out and dark power bubbled around his hands. Within seconds, the butterfly had left his open palm to alight on his mother’s forehead.

His claws dug into the brick facade as he watched a glowing outline of a butterfly appear on his parents’ faces. He had to do something; he had to stop this! He was moving to break the window when he felt like his heart stopped.

His mother was smiling.

Emilie’s skin had taken on a glowing green glow but otherwise, she looked like she had before the accident. She was reaching out to caress Gabriel’s face as he collapsed to the bed at her side. His lips were moving quickly as he spoke and out of the corner of his eye, Chat Noir caught a glimpse of Nathalie leaving the room.

He wasn’t sure how long he hung on the ledge and watched his parents talk and smile. It was as if no time had passed between them. His muscles ached and his head pounded from the tears that he couldn’t stop from flowing down his mask. The sky was growing lighter and he knew he didn’t have much more time but he couldn’t bring himself to leave. His mother was back, not exactly like before, but so very close.

He’d almost convinced himself to leave when he saw Gabriel kiss his wife and then her skin was growing pale again and once Chat Noir could fully see her as his father moved away, Emilie’s eyes held the same vacant look they had for years.

Despite the sun already warming the summer morning, Chat Noir’s skin felt cold as he stumbled down the house and out past the wall.


	22. Sick

“Hey, are you okay? I haven’t heard from you in two days until the text that you were out here.” Marinette ushered Chat Noir into her apartment. “I’ve been worried.”

“I woke you up,” he replied, voice hollow.

She rubbed at her eyes. “That’s okay. Come on.” She took his hand and led him through the dark living room to her bedroom. A lamp cast dim light beside her bed and she sat down against the headboard and patted the space beside her. “Talk to me.”

His brow furrowed beneath his mask. “Did you have trouble controlling your powers at first?”

Marinette blinked. This wasn’t the direction she’d expected the conversation to go. The sickening thought that something very bad had happened with his Cataclysm to fill him with this much sadness crept into her mind. “I...well, it took me a while to get the hang of Lucky Charm and figure out how to use it to my advantage, and you know I just found out about the Cure.”

“Yeah.” His frown deepened. “I destroyed a lot of stuff at first, before I realized how strong Cataclysm is.” He fell silent then and Marinette’s mind raced with possibilities. 

“Adrien, did something happen?”

As if the sound of his name startled him, he looked at her with surprised eyes. “What?”

“Well, you’ve been MIA for days when we were spending a lot of time together and now you’re here and clearly upset so...” She led. 

“You must think I’m such an ass,” he groaned. 

“I’ll admit I’ve been teetering between worried and irritated most of today.” She took his hand. “You know you can tell me anything, right?”

He swallowed hard and nodded. “My dad is the one sending out the butterflies.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I saw him a couple of weeks ago,” he whispered. “He was surrounded by the butterflies. And then the other day I went to visit my mom and the doctor said she’d been moved back home. That just...it didn’t feel right, you know? What would be the point? We can’t help her any more than the doctors do.” He looked up at her but quickly dropped his eyes. “So I went to spy as Chat and that’s when I saw it.”

“Saw what?” Marinette asked gently.

“Father used one of those butterflies to make my mom...I don’t know, normal again? Not...not exactly, her skin turned green but she was smiling and talking to him and she just seemed...” He trailed off and ran his free hand into his hair anxiously. “She seemed like I remember her. And I just sat outside the window and watched them forever and then it’s like it faded away. I don’t know if his power couldn’t keep it up or if he turned it off or what but then she was back to being...blank.”

“Oh, Adrien...”

“So maybe he’s not bad, you know? Maybe the monsters were just accidents and he didn’t know how to control his powers. There haven’t even been any this week. I think he just wants to make my mom better.”

Marinette worried her lip. “Where’d he get the Miraculous?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you think if there is someway to make your mom better, he’ll give it back?”

“I...I mean, probably, right? If that’s the reason he’s doing it.” Chat Noir didn’t look as certain now. “But maybe it would be best if we don’t tell Fu yet.”

“He should know if we found the one of the missing Miraculous,” Marinette argued.

“And what if he tells us we have to take it back? What if there isn’t enough time to make Mom better?”

She could see his agitation rising and the temptation to push the issue was still there but it was late and they both needed rest. “How about we sleep on it?” she suggested, coaxing him to sink down lower on the bed. “We can talk more in the morning.”

“I want my family back,” he said quietly as his transformation fell.

Marinette curled against him. “And if it’s something I can help with, I will. But for now, sleep.”


	23. Pillows and Blankets

“Yikes, that’s tough,” Alya winced.

“I know.” Marinette groaned into her hands. “You didn’t see how torn up he was either. I’ve never seen him like that.”

“In your long history together,” she teased gently.

“I know, I know. We fell into this so fast.” She cupped her cheeks and slowly blew all the air out of them. “I guess I don’t know him that well.”

Alya fluffed the pillow behind her back and leaned against the headboard of her roommate’s bed. “Nino and I have been together for years and sometimes I still learn something new about him and it surprises me. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Adrien’s one of the good ones; I can tell.”

“Yeah.”

“Obviously you guys have to go talk to his dad.”

“I’m glad that feels obvious to you too.” Marinette dropped her hands to her lap. “Now if you could just tell me exactly what to say and do and how to handle this all without hurting Adrien, that’d be great.”

“You think you’re going to have trouble with his dad, don’t you?” Alya frowned. “Have you met him yet?”

“No, it’s just a feeling I get for some reason.” She pulled the blanket in her lap up to her neck. “I guess I’ve just been thinking about if our roles were reversed, you know? Like if there was a way to get one of my parents back if they were as sick as his mom, I would...I would probably...” She trailed off with a frown. “I honestly have no idea how I’d react.”

“I’m not sure if there is a right answer. You don’t think Fu will like this, do you?”

“Before we knew anything, he said the Butterfly holder was giving off an evil energy. If that’s the case here, then maybe there is more to it than Emilie.”

“Energy seems like such a hard thing to measure though. Could it seem evil just because it’s different from the original purpose of the Miraculous? There were those monsters but there haven’t been any in a few days.” She cocked an eyebrow. “It’s making the blog a little boring now.”

Marinette made a whining sound and pulled the blanket over her head. “I don’t know what to do.”

Alya have her a minute or so of peace before she poked the lumpy blanket. “Hey, M, if you had it to do over again, would you still accept the earrings?”

‘What?”

“Like if Fu showed up at the bakery like before but you have all the knowledge you do now, would you still be Ladybug?”

“I...yes, I think so. I have helped people.”

“But?”

“I didn’t say ‘but’.”

“You didn’t have to.”

“It’s annoying that you know me so well,” Marinette huffed. “But I guess if I could give it up now and everything would be okay, I would. Parts of it have been nice but I feel kind of stuck and I guess if it felt like I had a chance to get out of it, I maybe would.”

“That’s big that you’re willing to admit that.”

“I guess I’ve tried not to think too much about it.”

“Are you expecting Chat tonight?”

She looked at her phone but there was no message from him. “I have no idea. I’m kinda going blind with everything right now. I know he’s dealing with a lot but it’s frustrating not to know.”

“Then let’s build a blanket fort in the living room and watch rom-coms til we pass out.” Alya stood and yanked on the top blanket.

Marinette let it go with a smile. “Really? We haven’t done that in ages and it makes such a mess.”

“I think it’s just what you need.”

She looked at her phone once more and then nodded. “I think you’re right.”


	24. Nap

Silence stretched on as Adrien watched his father for any sign of a reaction after his confession of seeing him akumatize Emilie. Gabriel was obviously thinking, brow pinched together in an uncomfortable furrow.

“How?” he finally asked, breaking the tense quiet.

“How?” Adrien echoed in confusion.

“How could you have possibly seen what I did to your mother? Where were you?”

He sunk down in his seat. “Outside the window.”

“On the second story,” Gabriel added. “At night. Again, I ask how? Why were you even here?”

“This is still my home even if I don’t live here right now,” he grumbled.

“Adrien.”

“Because I went to see Mom and you’d moved her home without telling me!” The uncomfortableness he’d been feeling moments ago transitioned to anger. “You shouldn’t have made a decision like that without letting me know.”

“She’s my wife.”

“She’s my mother.”

The men glared at each other but Gabriel relented first. “You’re him, aren’t you?”

The change in tone caught Adrien off guard and he blinked. “What?”

“Chat Noir. I’ve had my suspicions since I saw an interview with the local news. Besides, it seems that you would’ve been more upset by seeing your mother akumatized than you were when you told me if you didn’t understand what had happened.”

Adrien swallowed and nodded. “I still don’t really understand,” he admitted. “But I am Chat Noir.”

Gabriel released a deep sigh. “I can use the akumas to accentuate parts of a person’s personality and give them power. I was testing out different emotions with the ones you and Ladybug fought. I had to see if it was possible.”

Adrien day on the edge of his seat. “What?”

“Freeing Emilie.” Gabriel pinched the ridge of his nose, fingers knocking against his glasses. “What you saw the other night was me unlocking the functioning part of her brain.”

“She was just like before.”

“Almost.” He gave his son a sad nod. “The person I was talking to had no memory of a crash though and she asked how you were doing in school.”

“So she’s like she was before the accident. That might not be a bad thing,” Adrien reasoned. “It might be nice if she doesn’t remember that part.”

“While my power can reach into her mind and pull her out, it’s only temporary.”

“Could you...couldn’t you keep doing it?”

“I don’t know what kind of toll it would ultimately take on her. Too much could do more bad than good.”

“So we’re back to not knowing how to make her better.” Adrien slumped down in his seat.

Gabriel eyes the ring on his son’s finger. “Not exactly but I need you to trust me.”  
____________________________

Adrien curled up beside his mother as she stared vacantly at the bedroom door he’d come through. His father’s plan seemed risky and involved Marinette which he wasn’t exactly keen on. He’d kept Ladybug’s identity a secret but if Gabriel had figured him out, it wouldn’t take a big leap to out her as well.

He was so tired. He had no idea what he should do, but he knew he had a decision to make. He needed to talk to Marinette but the thought of going to her with his father’s request felt too heavy to take on right now. Maybe he could rest for a bit, gather himself, and then talk to her. 

“I wish you could tell me what you want,” he whispered, setting his head on Emilie’s blanket-covered lap. “Is this what you would want?”

His eyes felt heavy as he listened to her steady breathing and the last thing he saw before he fell asleep was Gabriel watching them from the doorway.


	25. Boots

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm finally caught up again! :)

“You’re back,” Marinette said softly, going up on the tips of her toes to kiss Chat Noir’s cheek. “How are you?”

“Confused, tired, and finally feeling better than I have in days just from seeing your beautiful face,” he admitted with a small smile. “Thanks for giving me some space to think.”

She held back what she really wanted to say, that he hadn’t exactly given her a choice, and simply nodded. Her moods had been swinging between worried and irritated and indignant and needy in his absence. She didn’t like it. A few hours ago, she’d convinced herself that she would break things off with him as soon as she saw him again but now that he was here in front of her, that decision seemed rash. She really had missed him.

“You’re mad at me.”

“I’m...yeah, a little.”

“That’s fair.”

“I know.”

He bit his lip and nodded. “We need to talk but we can save it for tomorrow if you want.”

That gave her pause. “If it’s important--”

“You’re more important. Besides, I’ve been a woefully terrible boyfriend this week and that can’t stand. I’d like to take you out to dinner.”

She felt her icy feelings thawing even more and offered him a tentative smile. “With you as Chat?”

He grinned. “This tail and these boots? Come on, this is obviously my best look.”

Marinette laughed and suddenly it felt like it had at the beginning. Easy and relaxed and fun. “Those boots are pretty killer.” 

“You don’t have to tell me, Princess,” he winked. “I know when I’m rocking it.”

“I’ve really missed you.”

Chat Noir’s cocky expression softened and he put his hands on her hips, coaxing her closer. “I’ve really missed you too. Just being here with you is the best feeling in the world. It’s like I can forget everything else.”

The situation hanging over both their heads was heavy in the air but the couple chose to ignore it. At least for the moment.

Marinette rested her cheek against his chest and found reassurance in the steady beat of his heart. “Let’s just enjoy tonight.”


	26. Fencing

“So your dad believes that using our Miraculous together could help your mom in a more permanent way,” Marinette repeated, trying to make sure she understood what Adrien had finished explaining.

He nodded. “It grants the wielder the power to change one thing, one...what did Father call it...faucet of reality.”

“So it’s like a magic lamp and genie type situation?”

“I think it’s more nuanced than that, but only because that’s what I called it at first too before he corrected me.” There was a shadow of a smile before his mouth thinned out again.

Marinette chewed her bottom lip as they lapsed into another silence. It was a lot of information to take it and something about it felt all too nice and tidy. If it only took them working together and making one wish, couldn’t Fu have done that himself instead of enlisting them as separate heroes? “What happens to our Miraculous after this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, do we get them back? And will they even work together? We haven’t been able to get them to work at the same time since that one akuma when it wiped me out.”

He frowned. “I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe when they’re used together, there’s not an issue?”

“I guess it just feels too easy. You use the Ladybug and Cat and poof, suddenly your wish comes true? There has to be a catch.”

“This could help me get my mom back to how she used to be. Why are you being so resistant?” His brow furrowed. “I thought you’d be happy for me.”

“And I will be if this is actually something that can work but it just isn’t sitting right with me. I think we need to talk to Fu so--”

“No! We aren’t talking to him. Father doesn’t want anyone else knowing about this. He didn’t even want me to tell you.”

“Then how were you going to get my earrings?” Marinette reached up to touch the smooth stone in her ear and saw a guilty look on her boyfriend’s face. She moved back from him a little. “He wanted you to take them from me?!”

“He told me to borrow them but I would never do that without talking to you. That’s why I’m here right now. He doesn’t know the kind of relationship we have, how close we are.”

“Adrien, I really don’t think this is right. Please, let’s go talk to Fu and see if he has any information on someone doing this in the past. We don’t have to tell him your family is involved at all.”

“Yeah, but--”

“Try to think of it like one of your fencing matches. I saw all your trophies. You wouldn’t walk into a match with no knowledge of technique or the weapon of choice and expect to win, would you?”

“There’s no winning or losing here,” he grumbled. “It’s not the same.”

“I’m only saying that we should see if there is more information we need before going ahead with this thing. If there’s no downside that would cause more harm, of course I want to help you.” She held her breath and tried to read the expression on his face. 

He finally nodded. “You’re right...I know you’re right. I’m letting myself get too wrapped up in the possibility of having her back. We’ll go to talk to Fu to make sure nothing bad can happen.” He tentatively reached out for her hand and gave her a relieved smile when she let him take it. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I just want us to be smart about this.”

“I do need to apologize though. I haven’t been...this isn’t usually me.” He looked down at their joined hands. “So I am sorry but thank you for talking through it with me.”

“Thank you for being willing to go talk to Fu.”

He squeezed her hand before releasing it. “I should probably go. Chat hasn’t been seen out much this week so I want to let people know I’m still around.”

Marinette nodded and stood with him, walking him to the door as his transformation flashed up his body. “I’ll call you when Fu can see us. You can come back tonight if you want, after you do some rounds.”

Chat Noir ducked his head, not meeting her eyes. “You still want me to?”

Despite everything she was feeling, she offered him an encouraging smile. “Of course.”


	27. Protecting You

Chat Noir paced the length of the small apartment as Master Fu talked. Marinette watched him warily while trying to pay attention to what their mentor was explaining. His tail lashed out behind him in agitation and then he was turning to begin his path again. He saw Fu’s eyes wander to him every few seconds before finding hers again.

“So you’re saying that for the person in question to be healed, someone else would have to lose… “ Marinette pause, choosing her words carefully in an attempt to not give too much away. “Someone else might come down with the same ailment in their place?”

“Not necessarily but there will have to be an equal exchange of some sort,” Master Fu answered. “It isn’t always an eye for an eye but it’s close enough.”

Chat Noir finally paused his pacing to look back at them. “Who does it happen to? The person who uses both Miraculous?”

“Sometimes,” the older man nodded. “Sometimes it’s an innocent bystander.”

“But you said it’s been successful before. The person who was helped ends up okay?” 

The look on her boyfriend’s face worried her and Marinette followed his gaze to Fu. She saw his forehead crease with worry. 

“For a time, yes, but it is a heavy burden to know someone has given up something for you, willingly or not.” He looked between the couple. “For example, Adrien, say you used the Ladybug and Black Cat to heal someone, a family member perhaps.”

Chat Noir looked away guiltily. They’d been careful not to divulge any details but Master Fu seemed to be seeing through them anyway. It wasn’t all that surprising, Marinette decided. After all, he’d been the one to choose them. He’d probably done his research ahead of time. He would know about Emilie’s condition. 

“The Miraculous are very powerful and that family member could be fully healed; however, in exchange, perhaps Marinette would take the brunt of the consequence even though she didn’t make the wish. Or perhaps you would. Or perhaps even a random citizen of Paris you’ve sworn to protect would. There is no way to know. And who are we to decide who is blessed and who is cursed?”

The hero paled and stared across the room at his partner. They shared a long look and he nodded before returning his attention to Master Fu. “I think that clears it up for me.”

“I’m glad. These are very powerful tools but those who hold them have a grave responsibility to respect that power.”

Marinette stood and held out her hand and Chat Noir closed the distance between them quickly, linking his fingers with hers. “Thank you for explaining, Master Fu. I think we’ll be going now.”

Fu bowed his head to them and walked them to the door. Marinette and Chat Noir made it out of the building and down the street before he finally spoke.

“I won’t do it,” he said quietly. “I can’t, not if there is no way to control who could get hurt.”

Relief flooded her system and she squeezed his hand. “What will your father say?”

“He’ll be angry. I’m angry, to be honest, but there’s no place to direct the anger so he’ll just have to deal like I will.”

“And if he doesn’t?”

Chat Noir frowned. “What are you trying to get at?”

Marinette didn’t want to push. She didn’t want to bring up the possibility that Gabriel might not care about anyone but his wife. She didn’t want to see the pain double in Adrien’s eyes. She didn’t want this to be on her. It wasn’t fair. “If this really isn’t going to work, I think it’s best we get the Miraculous your father has and take it back to Master Fu to be with the others. He isn’t supposed to have it and the power to create akumas is too great to fall into the wrong hands.”

“He won’t give it up, not when he can still use it to bring Mom back from time to time.” His voice lowered. “And if this is all we can have of her, I don’t want him to give it up either.”

His hand felt heavy in hers. There was the temptation to pull it away, to make an excuse that she needed to get home alone.

But she didn’t pull away. Unfortunate or not, she’d fallen head over heels for the man at her side. It was if she’d been missing a piece of herself her whole life and hadn’t realized it until he’d stepped in to fill the void. There was still so much she didn’t know about him and he didn’t know about her but she loved him. It wasn’t logical and it veered a little on the terrifying side but she didn’t want to give him up. They’d saved each other’s lives, made each other laugh and cry, held each other as they slept. They would figure this out together. They had to.

“It worries you.”

His voice startled her from her thoughts. “Yes,” she whispered. “I don’t think Gabriel is going to take this well.” She was too tired to continue being diplomatic. Adrien’s father didn’t strike her as a good man and she didn’t have the energy to keep skirting around it.

Chat Noir tugged on her hand and pulled her to him, hugging her close. “I’ll protect you with everything in me,” he promised quietly and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

And in that moment, Marinette knew that Adrien didn’t think his father was a good man either.


	28. Secrets

“You have a lovely home, Mr. Agreste.” Marinette hoped her smile looked better than it felt. Her muscles were tense and her stomach kept rolling. It had been a week since Adrien broke the bad news to his father and now she and her boyfriend were sitting across the large dining room table from the solemn man. It had taken a lot of convincing to get her into this awkward situation but Adrien squeezed her hand encouragingly under the table. Supposedly for all Gabriel knew, she was simply Adrien’s girlfriend and had no knowledge of the Miraculous. She wanted it to stay that way. Everything about the older man made her uneasy.

“Thank you. Adrien’s mother decorated it,” Gabriel answered with a slight nod.

She wasn’t sure how to respond so she forced a small smile and returned her attention to her dinner. 

“I brought Father some of the new macarons your father has started selling,” Adrien said, trying to fill the silence. “They were delicious, weren’t they?” He looked to Gabriel hopefully.

“I’m not one for sweets usually but they were pleasant, yes.”

Marinette reached for her glass and took a long sip of wine. She wasn’t much for alcohol but she was feeling a slight buzz in the back of her skull and she hoped she might relax a bit if the buzz could only get a little louder. She didn’t want to get drunk but time was dragging and this helped. The sooner she could get through this dinner, the sooner Chat Noir could sweep her into his arms and run her across rooftops to his apartment for the night. She deserved his big bed and expensive sheets after this ordeal.

“Do you not like the wine, Adrien?” Gabriel asked, eyeing his son’s full glass.

“It’s fine. I’ll be driving us home though so I thought it best to skip it,” he shrugged.

“It was chosen specifically for this meal and is an excellent year. It shouldn’t go to waste. I’ll send Sean to drive you home if the need arises.”

Adrien glanced at Marinette and she looked at him over the rim of her glass as she took another long pull. He grinned and drank from his own glass. “How’s the new line coming, Father?”

“Slowly. My design team lacks inspiration and if I’m being candid, I haven’t been in the right frame of mind for it lately.”

“Maybe you need a vacation.”

“You know me better than that.”

Adrien sighed and took another sip of wine. “I think a little time away would do you good.”

Marinette frowned. Adrien’s voice sounded off. She turned to look at him and the room swam around her. She blinked and her eyelids felt heavy. Something was wrong. She heard her name from far away and then the table was rushing up to hit her cheek and her world went dark.  
________________________________

Her earrings were gone.

Marinette knew it even before her fingertips fumbled along her naked earlobes. It shouldn’t have felt like such an integral part of her was missing but it did. She took in a deep breath and tried to open her eyes. Her head ached but the room was dark save for the dim light of a lamp across from her.

She was on a bed. She rolled onto her side and knew she was going to be sick. She didn’t have time to do anything before she was throwing up onto the floor. She coughed and gagged until her stomach felt empty. Her skin was too hot and she took a steadying breath before she pushed herself up on her elbows. She thanked her past self for being too nervous to do anything more with her hair than a simple ponytail. At least most of the sick wasn’t on her.

She turned slowly and saw that Adrien was passed out beside her. His ring was missing and dried blood trickled from his bruised nose. There was another line of dried blood along his temple where the skin had split open in a short gash. 

“Adrien? Adrien, please wake up. Adrien.” She shook his shoulder, trying to be gentle but forceful. 

He groaned and curled on his side. 

“Come on, scoot,” she coaxed, pushing his body closer to the edge of the bed. Within moments, he was vomiting just as she had. “It’s okay,” she soothed. “It’s all right.”

He hung his head over the side. “I’m so sorry,” he groaned. “This is all my fault. I’m so sorry.”

“Gabriel drugged us, didn’t he?” She posed it as a question but she knew the answer.

Adrien sat up but wouldn’t meet her eyes as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “You passed out at the table. I didn’t realize what was happening at first but when I stood up to help you, I got dizzy. He was trying to talk to me and tell me it was the right thing and that I had to trust him and I punched him.”

She reached up to gingerly rub her thumb under her nose. “Looks like he gave as good as he got.”

He scowled and met her eyes. “I never thought…” He trailed off and she could see the rest of his words on his face. He hadn’t wanted to believe his father was capable of something this villainous but somewhere inside, he knew. 

“How did he know about my earrings?”

Adrien’s eyes widened. “I don’t know. I swear I’ve never told him. I wouldn’t betray your secret like that.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“You believe me?”

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”

He seemed taken aback but shook his head. “I should’ve never gotten you involved in this.” 

“You only asked me to dinner. I’m pretty sure Gabriel is to blame for the rest. We should’ve known he wasn’t going to give this up. We’ve got to get to Master Fu and figure out what we can do.”

Adrien didn’t answer but his gaze wandered around the room as he sat up a little more. “This is my old room.”

Marinette followed his eyes and her thoughts caught up to his. “Did you ever sneak out?”

His lips formed a fierce smile that bared a little too much teeth. “I most certainly did. How do you feel about heights?”


	29. Werecat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting so close to the end! I'm hoping to be able to catch up and finish this story today so I can get started on the Ladrien June AU. Thank you guys so much for all the wonderful comments. I'm really glad you've been enjoying this story! <3

“You’re almost there,” Adrien coached, keeping a careful eye on Marinette’s footing as she slowly climbed down the outside wall of his room. Her foot slipped against the thin brick ledge she’d been using as a toehold and Adrien tried to keep his cool as he watched her scramble to keep herself on the wall. He’d gone down ahead of her to show her the way and wait on the ground in case she needed help but his nerves were beginning to fray.

“I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered harshly, pressing her cheek against the rough brick. Her head was pounding from the drugged wine and her anxiety continued to ratchet upwards. Heights had never particularly bothered her but clinging to the side of a house without powers when she was feeling so bad wasn’t doing much for her confidence in the situation.

“You’re doing great. You only have a little bit more to go, I promise.” Adrien cast a worried glance up towards the lit window of his mother’s room. He saw a shadow pass by the window and pressed himself closer to the wall to stay out of sight. He was returning his attention to Marinette when there was a blinding flash of light from the window and then his girlfriend was falling away from the wall, her body limp.  
_______________________________

Alya almost rushed past Adrien in the hospital waiting room before she saw him. “What’s going on?! I got here as soon as I could.” She took in the large bandage across his bruised nose, the butterfly bandages holding together cuts on his temple, and his right arm in a sling. “Where’s Marinette?”

He looked up at her with haunted eyes. “They won’t let me see her since I’m not family but you’re her emergency contact.”

She ground her teeth together. “She never wanted to worry her parents if something happened as Ladybug. What happened, Adrien?” She saw him look down at his hand and instantly saw the empty spot where his ring usually was. “Gabriel?” she growled.

He nodded tiredly. “I want to go to the police but I’m not sure what to say yet. I can’t leave until I know how Marinette is doing though.”

Alya fought the impulse to tear into him. Marinette hadn’t wanted to go to the dinner after Adrien told her how badly Gabriel had taken the news that he wouldn’t be able to help his wife. She’d finally given into Adrien’s request to join them for dinner though and Alya wouldn’t let the man in front of her forget it. 

She gave him a stiff nod. “I’ll let you know what I find out.” Without a second glance, she headed off to the nurse’s station and was given information to Marinette’s room. She slipped into the dim room and swallowed hard when she saw her best friend.

Marinette looked asleep and the steady beat of the heart monitor was at least a comforting sound as Alya moved closer to the bed. The entire left side of her face and neck was scraped and shiny with medicated salve. It looked like a bloody mess but Alya was hoping it looked worse then it actually was. From what she could tell, none of the scrapes looked too deep. There was an IV drip set up by the bed and she hoped it was full of pain medication.

She pushed Marinette’s hair back to reveal her naked earlobes and tried to swallow against the lump in her throat. Even though she knew what to expect, it still bothered her to see. She jumped when the door opened and the quiet of the room was disrupted by the bustling in the hallway.

“Ah, you must be Ms. Cesaire. Nurse Clement told me to expect you.” An older woman in pink scrubs nodded in her direction.

“Can you tell me...how is she?” Alya hated how shaky her voice sounded. She was supposed to be strong for this; that’s why Marinette had chosen her.

“The man who brought her in says she was drugged at a party. Her tox screen definitely matches the story. His does as well, though in a lower dosage. He claims he saw it happen and got into a fight with the man who did it but she got caught up in the scuffle and he brought her here when he saw she was hurt.”

Alya eyed the scrapes on Marinette’s face. “That’s quite a scuffle.”

“Glad to see I’m not the only one to think so.” The nurse studied her. “Do you know who she was with?”

She was tempted to lie and get Adrien in trouble but let it go with a sigh. “He’s her boyfriend. I saw him in the waiting area.”

“He said as much but we never know who to believe.” She checked the monitors and gave them a satisfied nod. “Her levels are looking good though. She’s going to be sore when she wakes up but the injuries seem mostly superficial for the time being but we’re going to keep an eye on her.”

“Thank you. I’m going to step out and call her parents so they know what’s going on.” Alya gave Marinette one last look and stepped back out into the hall. Her heart felt like it was in her throat. She would still be upset if Marinette had gotten this hurt as Ladybug but there was something a bit more horrific knowing it had happened when she wasn’t.  
_______________________________

As soon as Adrien had been given a terse rundown by Alya, he walked out of the hospital with new purpose. Now that he knew Marinette was in good hands, he had his own business to take care of. His fear and worry gave way to rage and he welcomed it as it burned through his chest. 

He wished for the claws he had as Chat Noir so he could strike out at Gabriel and rip at his skin. He missed Cataclysm and the damage it could do. He stalked down the street and could almost imagine his tail lashing out behind him with the anger he felt. 

He’d warned Gabriel that the price wouldn’t be worth using the Miraculous like Master Fu had warned them but his father had gone through with it anyway. He’d hurt the person Adrien fell in love with and now there was going to be hell to pay. 

Despite his rage, there was a small part of him wondering if it had worked. Would he see his mother like she’d been before the accident? Would everything be like it was before?

That hope evaporated almost as soon as it had formed. Marinette was in a hospital bed because of this whole ordeal. No matter what came of it, things were never going to be like they were before.


	30. Hunt

“Let me in or I’ll call the police right now,” Adrien growled against the closed front door. “You’ll go down with him, Nathalie. You know you will.” He stood back when he heard the lock click and the door opened inward.

“I didn’t know he would go this far,” Nathalie said, not meeting his eyes as he moved past her.

“There’s no point in lying to me now.”

She finally took in his injuries and he saw the shock on her face. “Are you okay?”

He stared at her, baffled. Was he okay? Of course he wasn’t okay. In what world was any of this okay? He ignored her question and the twinge of pain when he balled his hands into fists. Fighting with a sprained wrist and recently dislocated shoulder wouldn’t be easy but he wouldn’t back down. “Where is he?”

“They’re in the master suite.”

Her words gave him pause and Adrien turned back to look at her. “Is she...”

She gave him a small nod but dropped her gaze again. “Emilie’s back.” Her voice was quiet.

Adrien walked up the staircase he’d ascended so many times, not bothering to check if Nathalie was following him. It was a surreal feeling as he moved closer to the door and heard his mother’s voice. He was suddenly a child again and walking down the dark hall after having a bad dream, intent on crawling up the bed to sleep between his parents where it was safe.

There was no safety here anymore.

He needed to focus on his hunt for Gabriel. If he let himself get swept up in seeing his mother well again, he would lose steam. Even now, he could feel his rage receding to the back of his mind. It would be so nice to feel her hold him close again, to see her eyes light up with recognition, to hear her say his name...

Adrien pushed open the door and let his eyes sweep over the room before they focused on his father. He crossed the distance between them and grabbed the front of Gabriel’s shirt in his good hand. He heard a feminine gasp from the side but tried not to think too much on it. “Give them back,” he demanded, twisting the expensive fabric in his fist.

Gabriel peered at his son over the frames of his glasses, his face a mask of indifference. “I did what had to be done. You’ll learn to forgive me. Now say hello to your mother.”

“Adrien...” Emilie’s voice was hesitant and uncertain behind him.

He swallowed hard and glared at his father. “Marinette’s in the hospital because of you.”

“Or perhaps because you had her scale down the side of the house.” Gabriel lifted his chin. “You could’ve left through the door at any time, you know.”

“Don’t act like this is my fault. You poisoned us!” The sound of tearing fabric followed his words as Adrien’s fist twisted further in his father’s shirt. “Now give me back the Miraculous. All three of them.”

In an unexpected movement, Gabriel kicked out and swept Adrien’s legs from underneath him. The younger man released the shirt in surprise and hit the floor with a loud thud.

“Gabriel!”

Adrien tried to gather back the breath that had been knocked out of him in the fall and felt gentle hands pulling him into a sitting position. His vision swam for a few seconds before his mother came into focus in front of him. 

“Oh, sweetheart. You’ve grown so much.” Careful fingers traced the injuries on his face before Emilie looked up at her husband. “Are you responsible for this?”

“Emilie, Adrien is a grown man, not a child. He went against what I--”

“Answer the question, Gabriel.” Her jaw clenched and she squeezed Adrien’s arm before standing to square up the other man. “Did you do this to him?”

“Some of it,” he admitted. “Some of it is self-inflicted. He wasn’t being held against his will. There was no reason to leave out the window.” His expression softened and he reached for his wife. “I had to bring you back, Em. You were trapped. This was the only way.”

“Helping me is never worth hurting our son. Never.”

“Emilie...”

She ignored him and offered Adrien a hand up. “Come with me, Adrien. We’ll get you something for the pain and then I want you to tell me everything.”

Adrien shared an angry look with his father and then let himself be led out of the room.  
______________________________

Adrien felt like he was barely moving as he finally made it up the last step of Master Fu’s building. He knocked on the door and leaned against the frame as he waited on an answer. He let his eyes close and fell forward as the door swung open. Master Fu caught him and led him inside, coaxing him down to the floor mat.

“Here.” Adrien reached into his jacket pocket and produced the Ladybug, Black Cat, and Butterfly Miraculous. They tumbled to the mat unceremoniously. 

“Gabriel used the power then.” Master Fu looked down at the activated jewelry. “Have you noticed anything different?”

“My mom is healed but nothing other than that. I can hardly see straight at this point.” Adrien yawned and leaned dangerously to the side.

“You should sleep.” The older man swept up the Miraculous and carried them away. 

“I need to go see Marinette.” He attempted to stand but Master Fu pressed a hand to his shoulder, keeping him down. 

“Sleep now, Chat Noir. You’ll be no good to her in this condition.” He began to hum and a pleasant fragrance filled the air. Adrien felt warm and then his world went dark.  
______________________________

Alya stood across the room, arms crossed as she watched Adrien process the information. She, Tom, and Sabine had managed to keep him away from Marinette for over a week now but she knew he wasn’t going to give up trying to see her until he knew the truth.

“She...what does she remember?” he finally asked. His eyes were shiny with unshed tears.

"She doesn’t have any memory of being Ladybug. She freaked out when I showed her some pictures so her parents and I decided to play it off as something from a costume party. Just another memory she lost in the accident.” Alya looked down at her hands. “But she seems fine otherwise. She remembers her childhood and old school friends and when we met. She knew we were roommates. She didn’t remember the kittens but she’s already fallen in love with them all over again.”

He blinked at the tears began to trail down his cheeks. “She doesn’t know who I am, does she?”

Alya shook her head and honestly felt bad for the guy. She knew Adrien has never meant for any of this to happen but she felt relief at knowing Marinette wouldn’t be caught in the middle of anything else involving the Agrestes. “I deleted any trace of you off her phone so she wouldn’t stumble onto anything. She’s already so worried and confused as it is.”

Adrien swallowed hard and nodded. “Um, so what does she think happened?”

“She thinks she was drugged at a bar and when she tried to leave, she was involved in a hit and run. We needed something to explain the mental and physical issues. She’s happy to be alive.” She shifted uncomfortably. “Master Fu told me about your parents and your mom leaving and everything. I know there isn’t anything legal we can do about your dad without dragging Marinette into it, but...”

“He’s not going to have a single day of rest, I can promise you that.” Adrien clenched his teeth together. “Somehow I knew if this happened, it would be her. I can’t believe I...” He trailed off and bit down hard on his lip, trying to keep in the sob that was threatening to tear from his throat.

“For what it’s worth, she really loved you.” Alya wasn’t sure if it was kind or cruel to say but she needed him to know. “I’ve never seen her so happy with someone before.” She spotted the silver ring on his finger. “Are you going to keep being Chat Noir?”

He took a moment to compose himself and nodded. “Whatever was involved in the ritual, it fixed the Miraculous. I can transform in the day now too. Someone needs to watch over the city and I feel like I have a lot to pay for.”

Alya heard the unspoken words and knew their apartment in particular would have a watchful guardian whether she liked it or not. “You can get in contact with me if you need to, but I think for now, it would be best to give her some space. Without the responsibility of Ladybug, who knows what she might want to do. This is a brand new life for her.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t want her to ever get hurt on my account again. I’ll...I’m going to watch out for her, but I’ll keep my distance. She deserves the best life she can possibly have.”


	31. Supernatural Creature

**Three Months Later**

“I’m nervous but excited. I still think I’m crazy for even applying. Most of the designs I submitted were ancient.” Marinette laughed and added two more macarons to the pastry box.

“Well, no matter what, I’m proud of you.” Sabine hugged her daughter. “You never know until you try.”

“That was my thinking too. And even if I don’t get accepted for that program, there are still tons of fashion programs I can look into. I don’t know why but I have a good feeling about it.” She closed the box and added a logo sticker to the seal to secure it. “Are you okay for me to head out for the day? Alya’s been so busy with her new job that we’ve hardly seen each other. We’re going to have a girls’ night in.”

“That’s fine, honey. You two have fun.”

Marinette waved to her father back in the kitchen and left the bakery with a smile.  
________________________

Chat Noir watched Marinette talk to her mother through the windows of the bakery. She looked so happy and beautiful. These were the moments he allowed himself, these quick glimpses into her new life when it was safe to peek in. 

He’d resigned himself to being miserable but these special snapshots were what kept him going. Marinette was happy and flourishing and that was all he cared about. When he wasn’t watching her, he was helping Emilie adjust to her new life. He’d moved her into his apartment and neither one of them were in contact with Gabriel. Any advertisement that went up around the city was mysteriously destroyed within a day but otherwise, Adrien kept his distance. His mother had urged him to go to therapy with her and he was trying to work through letting go of his anger towards Gabriel and moving on with his life but it wasn’t easy. 

“You look like you’ve had a rough day.”

Chat Noir froze, the all too familiar voice echoing in his ears. He looked down from his perch on the brick column to see Marinette looking up at him with an expectant expression. He’d been lost in his thoughts and hadn’t realized she’d left the bakery. The last time they’d spoken, he’d been watching her climb down the wall of his childhood home before she fell and everything changed. He found his voice and forced out a croaked “What?”

She tilted her head, a small smile pulling at her lips. “You’re Chat Noir, aren’t you? I’ve seen you on the news.”

“Is that so?” Every word felt like it was being ripped from him. His muscles tensed and the temptation to simply run away was pushing down firmly on him but he was too weak for her. Even if these was the only crumbs he could get, he would feast on them. 

“You always seem a little sad.” She blinked as if she’d been surprised by her words and a blush painted her cheeks. “I’m sorry; that was rude.”

“But not untrue,” he shrugged. While he could feel the excitement of interacting with her rushing through his body, he was falling into a relaxed stance at the same time. This was Marinette, his Marinette, and this moment was a gift. 

She shifted the pastry box in her hands. “Would a macaron help? Or maybe a croissant? I’ve actually got just about everything packed in here so feel free to take your pick.”

He leapt down from the column and her smile widened as she opened the box for him. His heart ached to have that smile directed at him again. He didn’t deserve it. “I don’t want to take your food...”

“Please do. My roommate and I will demolish all of this and cry about it in the morning.” She gave the box a gentle shake to make her point. “Besides, it would be an honor to feed the hero of Paris. Do you like passionfruit?”

Chat Noir’s heart jumped in his chest. Did she remember that was his favorite? It wasn’t possible, was it? No, of course not. She was just offering one of the flavors on top. “I love passionfruit.” He reached in and plucked the macaron off the top of the pile. 

“Actually, take the other one too. Neither one of us likes that flavor.” Marinette’s smile wilted a little and her eyes got a faraway look in them. She shook herself with a nervous laugh. “I’m not even sure why I put them in here, to be honest. I don’t usually.”

“Maybe it was just fate for us to meet today.”

Her fading blush came back in full force but she nodded with a fresh smile. “Maybe it was.”

Chat Noir took the other macaron and watched Marinette close the box back up. He needed to let her go; he had to, but...

“Would you like a hero to escort you home? After all, I’d like to repay you for these delicious treats.” He bit into the first macaron and winked at her. 

“It’s really not that far away but...” She bit her lip and ducked her head shyly. “I would actually really like that. I was in an accident not too long ago and I don’t like being out after dark by myself much anymore.”

His heart clenched in pain but he tried not to let it show on his face. “Then it would be my honor.” He offered his arm in habit and almost pulled it away just as quickly but Marinette looped her arm through his with a soft laugh.

“Now I know how to get a hero escort home when I need it. I’ll have to stock up on passionfruit from now on.”

“I’m here for you whenever you need me,” he promised.

Marinette met his green cat eyes and knew without a doubt that he absolutely meant it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I've really enjoyed going through this AU. Part of me wants to continue the story so I might actually do that during Ladynoir July if I decide not to go with the original AU I had planned for that event. Let me know if you would like to see more in this universe and thanks for reading! :)


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